[ONE PIECE & Japanese Mythology]: The Hidden Truth Behind the "Dawn of the World" and the Sun God

In the world's biggest entertainment epic, ONE PIECE, the term "Dawn of the World" stands as one of the most critical keywords, especially within the monumental "Wano Country Arc."

Under the tyrannical rule of Emperor Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi, Wano Country was completely isolated from the outside world, sinking deep into darkness. The protagonist, Luffy, and his crew overthrew this despairing domination, opened the country's borders, and finally brought about the "Dawn."

However, many fans are unaware that this is not merely a "story of a samurai nation's revolution." The closed country (Sakoku) of Wano, its eventual opening, and the resounding Drums of Liberation—behind all of these elements lies a perfectly replicated mythological lore: The age of myths' story of the "Sun Goddess shutting herself away" and the "frenzied banquet" the gods threw to bring light back to the world (The Myth of Ama-no-Iwato).

[Section 1: The Darkness of a Closed Country and the Loss of the Sun]

For years, Wano was in a state of "Sakoku" (closed borders), entirely surrounded by massive walls and waterfalls, making it a closed space where no outside light (information or hope) could reach. The people were robbed of their smiles, living with bated breath in literal darkness.

This is a flawless metaphor for the greatest crisis in Japanese mythology: The Ama-no-Iwato myth. In the age of myths, Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, fell into profound despair due to the atrocities committed by her kin. She retreated into a giant rock cave called "Ama-no-Iwato" and firmly locked the stone door from the inside.

Because the Sun God cut off all contact with the outside world (a mythological Sakoku), all light vanished from the earth. An eternal night descended, vegetation withered, and countless disasters and evil spirits (monsters much like Kaido and Orochi) came to rule the world. The desperate situation of Wano Country is an exact recreation of the mythological world that lost its sun.

[Section 2: The Drums of Liberation and the Gods' Frenzied "Kagura"]

How did the gods save a world engulfed in darkness? They didn't destroy the rock door with violence; instead, they threw a "frenzied banquet" right in front of it.

A goddess named Ame-no-Uzume stood atop an overturned wooden tub and began to dance wildly and comically, stomping her feet (the origin of Kagura). Seeing her, the eight million gods roared with laughter. In a world of absolute darkness, the rhythmic pounding of footsteps and boundless, cheerful cheers echoed loudly.

In ONE PIECE, when Luffy awakens as the "Sun God Nika," the "Drums of Liberation" echo across the battlefield. His fighting style—ridiculous, boundlessly cheerful, and capable of bringing smiles to everyone around him even in extreme combat—is not just comedic relief. It is a direct homage to "Ame-no-Uzume's Kagura" (a banquet to call down the divine), danced to lure the shut-in Sun God out of the rock cave. That sound, which makes people laugh and liberates them from agony, was the ultimate key to shattering the darkness.

[Section 3: Opening the Rock Door and the "Dawn of the World"]

Intrigued by the joyful laughter and the sounds of a banquet outside, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu opened the rock door just a tiny crack. At that exact moment, a god of immense strength, who had been lying in wait, completely threw the heavy door open, finally returning the "Sun's light (Dawn)" to the world.

Kozuki Oden's dying wish to "open the borders of Wano" was never just a political policy. It was a grand divine ritual to open the tightly sealed "rock door" and welcome the "Sun God" back into the world. The iconic scene where Luffy and his allies defeat Kaido and the morning sun shines upon Wano Country portrays the most dramatic moment of the "Dawn of the World" in Japanese mythology.

[Conclusion]

The loss of the sun and the frenzied banquet hidden within the "Dawn of the World" in ONE PIECE. Yet, this is only a fraction of Japan's vast mythological tapestry.

Why did the gods laugh and dance when the world was shrouded in darkness? And what was the Sun Goddess Amaterasu thinking inside the pitch-black cave?

The full story of "Ama-no-Iwato," where despair and hope intersect, is now published as the latest episode in the epic tale of gods, "KAMIYO."

If you wish to witness the "beautiful and energetic banquet" of true mythology that inspired the world's greatest manga, see Amaterasu's dawn with your own eyes. The myth is still alive today.

▶︎ Reading KAMIYO

The philosophies discussed so far have been inherited by legendary Japanese artisans today. Conversing with nature, such as earth and fire, they continue to create "art pieces" imbued with a living soul.

If you wish to step beyond aesthetics and philosophy, and welcome the "authentic Japanese soul" into your everyday life, please witness the crystallization of their craft.

▶︎  SOU WORLD Collections