Meeting: #1 Subject: Informational/Ama-terasu Date: 6-15-97
The third child of Izanagi and Izanami was Susa-no-o, "The Impetuous Male," and through cruel acts he caused his sister to decide to live in seclusion, hiding herself in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. When this dreadful catastrophe had taken place the Eighty Myriads of Gods assembled on the bank of the River of Heaven and discussed how they might best persuade Ama-terasu to grace Heaven once more with her light. After sundry divinations with a deer's leg-bone, over a fire of cherry-bark, the Gods made a number of tools, bellows, and forges. Stars were welded together to form a mirror of eight faces, and comma-shaped jewelry known as "magatama" (two of three sacred treasures), and musical instruments were eventually fashioned.
When all these things had been accomplished the Eighty Myriads of Gods came down to the rock cavern where the Sun Goddess lay concealed, and partied hearty. Uzume, the "Heavenly-alarming-female," placed a tub upside down and proceeded to dance in a very immodest manner, till the Eighty Myriads of Gods began to roar with laughter.
Ama-terasu, her curiosity naturally awakened, peeped forth, was pulled completely out of her cave by the God of Strength, and once more the world became golden with her presence. She again dwelt in the Plain of High Heaven, and Susa-no-o was duly chastised and banished to the Yomi Land.
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