Encyclopedia of Shinto

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詳細表示 (Complete Article)

カテゴリー1： 2. Kami (Deities)
カテゴリー2： Kami in Classic Texts
Title
Kayanohime
Text [Kaya no hime no kami] (Kojiki)
Other names: Nozuchi no kami(Kojiki), Nozuchi, Itsu no nozuchi(Nihongi)



A kami of field and grasses produced by Izanagi and Izanami. According to Nihongi, after giving birth to the land, seas, rivers and mountains, Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the god of trees Kukunochi, and then the god of grasses, Kayanohime, thus completing their production of the land. According to Kojiki, the deities given birth (see kamiumi) by Izanagi and Izanami included Shinatsuhiko (wind kami or kaze no kami); Kukunochi (tree kami); Ōyamatsumi (mountain kami or yama no kami); and Kayanohime (kami of fields). It is said that the two kami Ōyamatsumi and Nozuchi "divided their realms between mountain and field," thus resulting in the births of an additional eight kami. According to one theory, the eight kami were the direct offspring of Ōyamatsumi and Nozuchi, while another interpretation suggests that these two deities merely divided their rule over the mountains and fields which served as the locales for the eight births, with the eight actually being produced by Izanagi and Izanami.

Nihongi notes that prior to Jinmu's coronation, he set up an altar to worship Takamimusuhi, and called the grass at that place Itsu no Nozuchi ("sacred Nozuchi").

-Mori Mizue

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

No movie/映像なし