Iwato Hiraku -Amenouzumenomikoto-

Ame-no-Uzume
Appeared in the Heaven, descended to the Earth, to become Life
Her power is “Uzu (whirl)” and hence,
All living beings form a whirl in their essence
(In the lightlessness, we just follow the sight)
(In the lightlessness, we are left without enlightenment)
Now, Uzume, become a goddess of whirl, and dance and dance!
The Heaven swirls - be born, be born!
The Earth swirls - shake up, shake up!
The breath swirls - the dead and wandering spirits, revive!
(You all are parts of the whole)
(Hence it is the same as the whole - release it!)
Now, Uzume, dance and dance! The Heaven swirls, the Earth swirls
In the swirl of self‐effacement and ecstasy,
In between the existence and non-existence,
All things correspond, the world shall be the macrocosm,
Iwato hiraku (The rock door opens)


“Iwato Hiraku” means “opening the rock door of the heavenly cave.” This piece is based on the most famous episode of Amenouzumenomikoto, a goddess in Japanese myth. Indignantly at the outrage of her younger brother Susanoo, the sun goddess Amaterasuōmikami withdrew into the heavenly cave called. The world was plunged into darkness, vengeful spirits arose, and chaos ensued. The troubled gods devised a plan: A festival to lure the great goddess out. Amenouzumenomikoto played a key role in it. With a wig around her sash, kudzu as the hair ornament, and bamboo leaves in her hands, Amenouzumenomikoto stood on an empty bucket in front of the rock door of the cave. In a state of divine possession, she stomped furiously on the bucket and danced wildly, exposing her breasts. Her dance made the gods laugh and cheer loudly. Curious about the lively commotion, Amaterasu peeked outside. Awaiting gods led her out from the cave, and finally sunlight returned to the world.
The artist interprets that the dance brought harmony between heaven and earth, light and darkness. As her name contains “Ame = heaven” and “Uzu = whirl,” she may have the power to unite seemingly opposed things in the most harmonized condition by the spinning whirl of the dance. The unity mark of yin and yang made by her hair in this piece signifies it.
Spin, spin, and spin… all spin to bring harmony. The circulation of life, the food chain, and the essence of all things contain a "whirl," like a top that becomes self-supporting by continuing to spin. This work symbolizes such a principle.