[An abridged retelling from the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki]
Amaterasu and the Heavenly Rock Cave - A simple retelling from the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
You can still see traces of this story in Japan today. Amaterasu is honored at Ise Grand Shrine, one of the holiest sites in Japan, and millions of people visit shrines that carry her story. Its symbols, such as the shimenawa rope and kagura dance, are part of everyday religious life and festivals. The mirror is kept at the Ise Grand Shrine, where Amaterasu is worshipped. Straw ropes called shimenawa hang at shrines across the country to mark sacred places. Shrine dances called kagura remember Uzume's joyful dance. The story teaches a simple lesson: even the darkest time can end, and sometimes laughter and kindness are what bring the light back.
Chapter 1: A Goddess Is Born from Water
How Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and Susanoo, the storm god, came into the worldLong ago, the god Izanagi visited the land of the dead to find his wife, Izanami. What he saw there filled him with fear, and he ran back to the world of the living. His body felt dirty from the land of the dead, so he went to a river to wash himself clean.
As he washed, new gods were born from the water. When he washed his left eye, a shining goddess appeared. Her name was Amaterasu, and she was the goddess of the sun. When he washed his right eye, the moon god Tsukuyomi was born. When he washed his nose, the storm god Susanoo appeared.
Izanagi was very happy. He gave each child a part of the world to rule. Amaterasu got the High Plain of Heaven, where the gods live. Tsukuyomi got the night. Susanoo got the sea.
Chapter 2: The Storm God Who Would Not Obey
Why Susanoo was sent away and why he went to see his sister
Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi did their work well. Susanoo did not. Instead of ruling the sea, he cried and screamed all day. He missed his mother, Izanami, who was in the land of the dead. He cried so hard that the trees dried up and the rivers and seas turned wild.
Izanagi asked him, "Why do you not rule the sea as I told you?" Susanoo answered, "I want to go to my mother's land." This made his father very angry. "Then you cannot stay here," said Izanagi, and he sent Susanoo away.
Susanoo decided to go to heaven to say goodbye to his sister first. As he walked, the mountains shook, and the earth trembled under his heavy steps. Amaterasu heard the noise from far away and felt afraid.
Chapter 3: A Contest to Prove a Good Heart
Amaterasu doubts her brother, and the two make children to settle the question
"My brother is coming to take my kingdom," Amaterasu thought. She tied up her hair like a warrior, took her bow and arrows, and stood ready at the gate.
Susanoo said, "I mean no harm. I only came to say goodbye." But Amaterasu did not believe him. "Then prove it," she said.
They agreed on a contest. Each would make children from the other's treasures. Amaterasu broke Susanoo's sword into three pieces, chewed them, and blew out three goddesses. Susanoo took Amaterasu's jewels, chewed them, and blew out five gods. Susanoo said, "My children are gentle. This proves my heart is pure. I win!"
Amaterasu accepted this, and Susanoo was allowed to stay in heaven. It was a mistake that would cost everyone dearly.
Chapter 4: The Storm God Goes Too Far
Susanoo's bad behavior grows worse until one terrible act breaks his sister's heart
Susanoo was proud of his win, and he started to misbehave. He broke the walls between Amaterasu's rice fields. He filled the ditches with dirt. He even made a mess in the hall where the first fruits of the harvest were offered to the gods.
Amaterasu did not punish him. She said, "My brother is only confused. He does not mean any harm." She kept forgiving him again and again.
But Susanoo did not stop. One day, Amaterasu and her helpers were weaving sacred cloth for the gods. Susanoo climbed onto the roof, made a hole, and dropped a dead horse into the hall. One of the weaving women was so frightened that she was hurt badly and died.
Chapter 5: The World Goes Dark
Amaterasu hides in a cave, and without her light, everything begins to fail
This was too much for Amaterasu. She was sad, tired, and afraid. She ran to a cave called the Heavenly Rock Cave, went inside, and pulled a huge rock across the door.
At once, the sun was gone. Darkness covered heaven and earth. Nobody could tell day from night. The plants stopped growing, and people and gods could not see where they were going.
Bad spirits came out of the shadows. They buzzed like flies and caused trouble everywhere. Sadness and fear spread across the world. The gods knew they had to bring Amaterasu back, or everything would die.
Chapter 6: The Gods Make a Clever Plan
Eight hundred gods meet by the river and decide how to bring back the light
The gods gathered by a quiet river in heaven. There were eight hundred of them, and all were worried. They asked Omoikane, the god of wisdom, for help. He thought for a long time, and then he told them his plan.
First, they collected roosters and made them crow, because roosters crow when the sun rises. Next, a skilled god made a bright, shining mirror. Another made a long string of beautiful jewels. They hung the mirror and the jewels on a tree in front of the cave, along with soft white and blue cloth.
Then they built a fire and set up a small stage. Now they only needed someone to make Amaterasu curious enough to come out.
Chapter 7: The Dance That Made Heaven Laugh
Ame-no-Uzume's funny, wild dance makes the gods laugh and wakes Amaterasu's curiosity
The goddess Ame-no-Uzume stepped forward. She climbed onto an upside-down tub and began to dance. She stamped her feet so hard that the tub boomed like a big drum. She danced faster and faster, and she made funny faces and silly moves.
The gods saw her and began to laugh. They laughed so loudly that heaven itself shook. The sound was so big that it echoed all the way to the cave.
Inside the dark cave, Amaterasu was puzzled. "The world is dark and sad," she thought. "Why is everyone laughing?" She pushed the rock open just a little and asked, "Why are you all so happy?"
Uzume answered, "We are happy because a new goddess has come, and she is even greater than you!"
Chapter 8: The Sun Comes Back
Amaterasu sees her own face, is pulled out of the cave, and light returns to the world
Amaterasu was curious. She opened the door a little wider. At that moment, the gods lifted the shining mirror in front of her. Amaterasu saw a bright and beautiful face looking back at her. She did not know it was her own reflection. She leaned closer to see.
The strong god Tajikarao was waiting beside the door. He grabbed her hand gently and pulled her out of the cave. Another god quickly stretched a rope of rice straw across the entrance and said, "Please do not go back in."
Light poured across the sky. The roosters crowed, the plants turned green, and the gods cheered. Day had returned to the world.
Chapter 9: What Happened Next, and Why It Still Matters
Susanoo is punished, and the story lives on in Japan today
The gods decided that Susanoo must pay for what he had done. They made him give up his belongings, cut his beard, and leave heaven for good. He went down to the land of Izumo on earth. There, he became a hero by defeating a giant eight-headed serpent called Yamata no Orochi and saving a young woman from it.
Amaterasu stayed in heaven and continued to shine on the world. In Japanese tradition, the emperors are said to come from her family line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Amaterasu is the Japanese goddess of the sun and the chief deity of Shinto, Japan's native religion. Her full name, Amaterasu Omikami, means "the great goddess who shines in heaven." Japanese tradition says the imperial family descends from her.
Where does this story come from?
It comes from two of Japan's oldest written works: the Kojiki (712 CE) and the Nihon Shoki (720 CE). Both were compiled at the imperial court and record Japan's myths and early history. The two books tell the story with small differences, which is why retellings vary a little.
Why did Amaterasu hide in the cave?
She was hurt and frightened by her brother Susanoo's behavior. He damaged her rice fields, made a mess in her sacred hall, and finally threw a dead horse into the weaving hall, where a weaving woman was fatally injured. After forgiving him many times, Amaterasu could bear no more and shut herself away.
Why did the gods laugh at Ame-no-Uzume's dance?
Uzume's dance was wild, bold, and funny, and the gods found it delightful. The laughter was part of the plan. It made Amaterasu curious about how anyone could be happy in a dark world, and that curiosity made her open the door.
What did the mirror do?
The mirror showed Amaterasu her own shining face. She believed she was seeing a new goddess greater than herself, so she leaned out for a closer look. That gave Tajikarao the moment he needed to pull her from the cave.
What is a shimenawa?
A shimenawa is a thick rope made of twisted rice straw, often decorated with white paper streamers. In Shinto, it marks a sacred space or object and keeps impure things out. You can see them at shrine gates, on large trees, and on special rocks. In the story, a rope like this is stretched across the cave to keep Amaterasu from hiding again.
What is kagura?
Kagura is a form of ritual dance and music performed at Shinto shrines, and it is often linked to Uzume's dance in this story. Some performances are simple and quiet, while others are lively festivals with masks, drums, and flutes. Many kagura shows retell the myths of the Kojiki.
Is the mirror from the story real?
According to tradition, the sacred mirror (Yata no Kagami) is kept at Ise Grand Shrine, where Amaterasu is worshipped. It is one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan, along with a sword and a jewel. The mirror is not shown to the public, so no one outside the priesthood can say for sure what it looks like.
What happened to Susanoo?
The gods punished him, and he was sent away from heaven. He went to Izumo on earth, where he defeated the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi and saved a young woman named Kushinada-hime. From the serpent's tail he took a sword, which became another of the Imperial Regalia.
What is the main lesson of the story?
The story shows that even the darkest times can end. It also shows that community, cleverness, and joy can solve a problem that force cannot. The gods did not drag Amaterasu out by anger. They used laughter and curiosity to bring her back.