Okuninushi

The Great Lord Who Built Japan

Okuninushi-no-Mikoto is one of the most beloved and complex figures in Japanese mythology. His lengthy saga, recorded primarily in the Kojiki and the Izumo Fudoki, tells of a persecuted youngest son who rises through trials to become ruler of the earthly realm—only to graciously surrender that realm to the heavenly gods.

The White Hare of Inaba

Okuninushi's story begins with the famous tale of the Hare of Inaba. His eighty brothers, all seeking to marry the beautiful Princess Yakami, encountered a suffering hare that had been flayed by crocodiles (or sharks). The brothers cruelly advised it to bathe in salt water, worsening its pain. Okuninushi, trailing behind carrying their baggage, showed compassion and taught the hare to wash in fresh water and roll in cattail pollen. The grateful hare prophesied that Okuninushi, not his brothers, would win the princess.

Death and Resurrection

Enraged by losing Yakami to their younger brother, Okuninushi's siblings killed him—first by crushing him with a heated boulder, then by trapping him in a split tree. Each time, his mother Sashikuni-wakahime traveled to the realm of the gods and obtained divine intervention to restore him to life. These deaths and resurrections established Okuninushi's connection to the forces of life, death, and healing.

Trials in the Underworld

Fleeing his murderous brothers, Okuninushi descended to the underworld and encountered Susanoo, now ruling there. Susanoo subjected him to trials—sleeping in chambers filled with snakes, then centipedes and wasps, then being sent into a field set ablaze. Susanoo's daughter Suseri-hime helped Okuninushi survive each test. Eventually, Okuninushi stole Susanoo's sword, bow, and koto (harp), and escaped with Suseri-hime. Susanoo, impressed by his boldness, blessed their union and prophesied Okuninushi's future greatness.

Building the Land

Okuninushi partnered with Sukunabikona, a tiny deity who arrived from the sea on a floating seed pod, to develop the earthly realm. Together they taught humans agriculture, medicine, and the arts of civilization. They drove out malevolent spirits and established the foundations of society. When Sukunabikona departed for the eternal world, Okuninushi completed the work alone.

The Great Cession

When Amaterasu sent emissaries demanding Okuninushi surrender the land to her grandson Ninigi, negotiations proved difficult. The warrior god Takemikazuchi finally convinced Okuninushi's son to submit through a wrestling match (considered the origin of sumo). Okuninushi agreed to cede the "visible realm" to the heavenly gods if they would build him a palace reaching to heaven and honor him as ruler of the "hidden realm"—the world of spirits, the dead, and the unseen forces of nature. This palace became Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most sacred shrines.

The Matchmaker

Today, Okuninushi is worshipped at Izumo Grand Shrine as the god of en-musubi (creating bonds)—particularly marriage ties. The tenth month, when all other kami gather at Izumo for their annual assembly, is called Kamiarizuki (month with gods) in Izumo while the rest of Japan calls it Kannazuki (month without gods). During this gathering, the kami are said to arrange the marriages and connections of the coming year.