Ōmononushi

Ōmononushi 大物主 is a kami in the Japanese Shinto tradition. He is saki-mitama and kushi-mitama of Ōkuninushi and associated with Mount Miwa and is worshipped at the Ōmiwa shrine there.

During the reign of Emperor Sujin (around 97-30 BCE), a plague affected the country. After Ōmononushi's descendant, Ōtataneko, petitioned the kami, the Emperor had a dream in which Ōmononushi appeared to him and claimed responsibility for the plague, announcing that it would not stop until an appropriate priesthood was set up on Mount Miwa. When the Emperor created such a priesthood, the plague ceased.[1] Ōmononushi was worshipped as a nature spirit who provided good weather and bountiful harvests, and was strongly associated with snakes.[2]

At least two legends tell of Ōmononushi fathering children with human women. On one occasion he transformed himself into an arrow in order to impregnate a girl named Seyadatarahime, whilst on another occasion he used the form of a snake to have a son with the maiden Ikutamayorihime.[3] In the Kojiki he is recognised as the ancestor of Himetataraisuzu-hime (Isukeyorihime), the spouse of Emperor Jimmu.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ Handbook of Contemporary Japanese Religions. BRILL. 3 September 2012. p. 85. ISBN 978-90-04-23436-9.
  2. ↑ Nobutaka Inoue; Endo Jun; Mori Mizue; Ito Satoshi (2 September 2003). Shinto: A Short History. Routledge. p. 35. ISBN 1-134-38461-0.
  3. ↑ Carmen Blacker (2 August 2004). The Catalpa Bow: A Study of Shamanistic Practices in Japan. Routledge. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-135-31873-4.
  4. ↑ R. A. B. Ponsonby-Fane (3 June 2014). Studies In Shinto & Shrines. Taylor & Francis. p. 412. ISBN 978-1-136-89301-8.
  5. ↑ Atsushi, Kadoya. "Ōmononushi". Encyclopedia of Shinto. Kokugakuin University. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
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