Who Is Okuninushi-no-Mikoto?
Okuninushi-no-Mikoto is the great deity who, according to Japanese mythology, cultivated and governed Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni — the land of the living world. Described in detail in the Kojiki (712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE), this deity embodies the breadth and depth of Japanese faith through his many divine attributes and numerous alternate names.
When people speak of en-musubi (the tying of bonds), many immediately think of Izumo Taisha and its principal deity, Okuninushi. Yet en-musubi refers to far more than romantic connection. It means the power of musubi (産霊) — the cosmic principle that generates, nurtures, and binds all life and matter. Every prayer to Okuninushi carries within it this expansive wish for connection in the widest sense.
Origins and Divine Lineage
According to the Kojiki, Okuninushi is the sixth-generation descendant of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, though in some passages he is described as Susanoo’s own son — a layering typical of mythological genealogy. His name, Okuninushi, means “Great Lord of the Land,” directly expressing his role as the administrator of the earthly realm.
One of the most celebrated episodes illustrating Okuninushi’s character is the story of the White Hare of Inaba. His act of healing the wounded hare stands as the origin of his divine attributes of medicine, compassion, and salvation.
Seven Names and Divine Attributes
Divine Attribute and Meaning
Great Lord of the Land; ruler and administrator of Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni
One who pierces the great earth; original deity of agriculture and land
Deity of eight thousand spears; divine attribute of military strength and protection
Ashihara-Shikoo-no-Mikoto
Vigorous male deity of the reed-plains world; vitality and life force of the land
Manifested soul of the land; spiritual presence inhabiting the national territory
Great noble one; gentle deity of medicine, en-musubi, and agriculture
Deity in whom the soul of the land is made manifest; governs the invisible world
The myth of Kuni-yuzuri (国譲り, the Transfer of the Land) is the most dramatic episode in Okuninushi’s story. After building the land together with Sukunabikona-no-Kami, teaching agriculture and medicine to the people, Okuninushi was asked by messengers of Amaterasu to cede the earthly realm to the heavenly descendants. He agreed, on the condition that a magnificent shrine be built in his honor — the origin of Izumo Taisha.
After the transfer, Okuninushi withdrew from the visible world to govern the realm of kakuriyo (幽冥), the invisible world beyond ordinary sight. His continued blessing of en-musubi, agriculture, and healing flows from this hidden realm.
Izumo Taisha and the Month of the Gods
Izumo Taisha enshrines Okuninushi as its principal deity. In the old lunar calendar, the tenth month is called Kannazuki (the month without gods) throughout Japan, because all deities are said to gather at Izumo for their annual assembly — making it Kamiari-zuki (the month with gods) in Izumo alone. During this time, the gods are believed to deliberate on matters of human bonds and fate.
Visit /spot/izumo-taisha for the four-clap (二礼四拍手一礼) ritual unique to this shrine. At /spot/miho-jinja, worship Kotoshironushi-no-Kami, Okuninushi’s son. At /spot/omiwa-jinja, encounter Omononushi-no-Kami, the gentle soul of Okuninushi, enshrined within Mt. Miwa itself. In Tokyo, /spot/kanda-myojin venerates Oonamuchi-no-Mikoto as guardian of Edo. And at /spot/kotohiragu on Mt. Zouzu, the same gentle soul watches over seafarers.
The faith in Okuninushi is not confined to matters of romance. His boundless divine attributes — land-building, healing, agriculture, and governance of the invisible world — speak to the prayer that all bonds in human life may be bound with care and intention.
Last updated: May 25, 2026