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Mythology in 21St Century Japan: a Study of Ame No Uzume No Mikoto

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Mythology in 21St Century Japan: a Study of Ame No Uzume No Mikoto Mythology in 21st Century Japan: A Study of Ame no Uzume no Mikoto THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By William Justin Sheets Graduate Program in East Asian Studies The Ohio State University 2017 Master's Examination Committee: Naomi Fukumori, Advisor Sarah Iles Johnston Melissa Anne-Marie Curley Copyrighted by William Justin Sheets 2017 Abstract Japan’s eighth-century mythic texts, the Kojiki (712 CE) and the Nihon shoki (720 CE), share enough with other world myth systems and warrant their discussion in a broader theoretical context. Japanese myth, which cannot be limited to its religious, political, literary, or any other single intellectual or academic dimension, requires an interdisciplinary approach. Also, the significance of Japanese myth neither exists in the hypothetical mythic past nor is it restricted to the eighth century contexts of the Kojiki and Nihon shoki. Its meaning extends from the past to the present in patterns of both continuity and change. People continue to invent, maintain, or deny Japanese myth’s potential significances and perpetuate its authority as a form of discourse. Through analysis of recent scholarship on the myths of the goddess Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, as well as a detailed look at the eighth-century mythic texts, this thesis seeks to describe a microcosm of mythology in 21st century Japan that is unique and yet representative of modern myth scholarship. We find strong themes of resistance to Japan’s wartime nationalism, sometimes contrasted with efforts to use myth in constructing a new Japanese identity – one that is either unique or situated it in its global context. These myths are especially associated with Japanese traditions and contain thematic elements that allow for speculation about notions of spirituality, sexuality, and gender. Now, as in most of history, the myths are an authoritative base from which scholars attempt to make statements about Japan historically and in the present. ii Acknowledgments I would like to express my gratitude towards my Japanese acquaintances and friends who, through professional knowledge or personal interest, contributed to my early research. Personal meetings with clergy at Tsubaki Grand Shrine and faculty at Kogakkan University were particularly stimulating, and I feel especially indebted to my former colleagues and students at Yokkaichi Maryknoll School who were a major source of inspiration and feedback as I developed my research interests and began this process. I could have done nothing without the generous support of The Ohio State University and the fellowships that allowed me to study full time. I also sincerely appreciate the patience and flexibility of my advisory committee during the long process of devising an interdisciplinary thesis amidst my many other responsibilities. Naomi Fukumori’s expert instruction and personal attention allowed me to engage with the ancient texts while her enthusiasm drew me into the world of classical Japan. Sarah Iles Johnston encouraged me to believe that relevant discussion about myth can be had across cultures. Finally, when I had questions, Melissa Anne-Marie Curley always gave me more questions, and questions are often the most valuable thing to an aspiring scholar. I am indebted to my family too, for the many sacrifices and discomforts they endured to allow me to pursue this research. Thank you. iii Vita June 2001 .......................................................Bexley High School 2005................................................................B.A. International Studies, Ohio University Field of Study Major Field: East Asian Studies iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. iii Vita ..................................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................. viii Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 The Argument ................................................................................................................. 3 Why This Topic? A Limited Discussion Situated in Larger Whole .............................. 4 Methods and Chapter Outline. ........................................................................................ 7 My Contribution. ............................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 2: Selected Mythological Theories ...................................................................... 11 Organizing Approaches to Myth ................................................................................... 12 Myth and Truth.............................................................................................................. 14 Marginalization, Mythologization, and Demythologization ......................................... 17 Myth and Comparison ................................................................................................... 19 Summary, Myth as Ideology ......................................................................................... 22 Chapter 3: Myth in the Japanese Context ......................................................................... 24 The “Gods” of Japanese Myth ...................................................................................... 26 Mythic Texts: The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki .................................................................. 27 v Reception and Interpretation of the Kiki in History ...................................................... 30 Themes in Postwar Mythology ..................................................................................... 42 Chapter 4: Ame no Uzume no Mikoto in Myth ................................................................ 52 Ame no Uzume: Behind the Name ............................................................................... 55 The Myths of Ame no Uzume: 1) The “Heavenly Grotto” ........................................... 58 The Myths of Ame no Uzume: 2) The “Divine Descent” ............................................. 64 The Myths of Ame no Uzume: 3) Sarume No Kimi ..................................................... 68 Political and Non-political Elements............................................................................. 70 Chapter 5: Ame no Uzume, Religion, and Performance .................................................. 72 Mythic Accounts of Dance and Possession .................................................................. 73 Myth and Performance Traditions................................................................................. 76 Nature and Fertility Cults .............................................................................................. 81 Chapter 6: Notions of Gender ........................................................................................... 89 The Hand-Weak Woman ............................................................................................... 90 Ame no Uzume and Psychoanalysis ............................................................................. 93 Synthesis...................................................................................................................... 100 Chapter 7: Conclusion..................................................................................................... 103 References ....................................................................................................................... 107 vi List of Tables Table 1: Honko's 10 explanations of myth ....................................................................... 12 Table 2: Various orthographies of Ame no Uzume no Mikoto ........................................ 56 Table 3: Zeami's Etymology of Sarugaku ......................................................................... 79 vii List of Figures Figure 1: Lincoln's “myth cube” ....................................................................................... 16 Figure 2: Periodizations of Japanese History.................................................................... 33 Figure 3: Empress Jingū in Korea. Woodblock by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1880 ............... 40 Figure 4: Empress Jingū on the one-yen bill, 1881 .......................................................... 40 viii Chapter 1: Introduction With regards to Japanese myth, the second decade of the 21st century is an eventful time. Already in this decade Japan has experienced three significant anniversaries pertaining to its mythic tradition. First in 2012, Japan’s oldest mythic text, the Kojiki, celebrated the 1300th anniversary of its compilation, an event marked by renewed interest in its narrative contents and commentaries. The following year, the completion of the 62nd Shikinen Sengū,1 the regular 20-year renovation of Ise Shrine, drew resources of lumber, stone and labor from all over the country and attracted
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