Okuninushi no Mikoto

Okuninushi is the principal deity of the Izumo mythological cycle and one of the most beloved figures in Japanese religion. As a descendant of Susanoo, he endured great hardships at the hands of his jealous brothers (the eighty deities) before proving his worth through compassion and resilience. His kindness toward the injured white hare of Inaba is among the best-known episodes in the Kojiki.

After surviving multiple ordeals—including being crushed by a heated boulder and incinerated—Okuninushi descended to the netherworld where Susanoo tested him further. He eventually won Susanoo's daughter Suseribime as his wife and, wielding Susanoo's sword and bow, established sovereignty over the terrestrial realm (Ashihara no Nakatsukuni). Together with the diminutive god Sukunahikona, he developed agriculture and medicine for the benefit of the people.

When the heavenly deities demanded the transfer of his earthly domain, Okuninushi agreed to cede the visible world in exchange for dominion over the unseen realm (幽事, kakurigoto). This 'Country Yielding' (Kuniyuzuri) established the template for Shinto's division between the visible and invisible worlds. Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most revered shrines, is dedicated to him.