According to Kojiki (the Record of Ancient Matters) and Nihonshoki (the Chronicle of Japan), kagura had its origin in a Japanese ancient myth of the oracular Amenouzume (goddess of the dawn and revelry) who had performed a dance in a chapter of Ama no iwato (Cave of heaven).
古事記および日本書紀においては、天岩戸の段でアメノウズメが神懸りして舞ったという日本神話が神楽の起源であるとされる。