Okuninushi

(East Asian mythology)

Literally, ‘great land master’. Son-in-law of Susanowo, the storm god of Shinto tradition. He obtained the hand of Susanowo's daughter through stealth, an attribute his father-in-law much admired. At night Okuni-nushi had tied all the hair of the storm god to the beams of the house and escaped with the daughter. Susanowo appointed Okuninushi as King of Izumo, which the son-in-law ruled with the aid of Sukuna-biko, the dwarf god.

Another king of Izumo, a province facing the Sea of Japan, was Omitsunu, ‘beach field master’. This grandson of Susanowo enlarged his realm with pieces of land from Korea and offshore islands; he drew them to the Japanese archipelago with long cord. It should be recalled that the ox-headed storm god had been the first to colonize Korea.

Izumo was under the sway of Amaterasu, the sun goddess, after she sent an expedition against Okuninushi. The descendants of Susanowo were permitted a limited authority, including the ‘hidden’ world of magic, but all were compelled to acknowledge the ruling family. The contest between the sun goddess and the storm god clearly reflects an early struggle for mastery between leading Japanese clans.

This kami (see Kami), or Shinto (see Shinto entries) spirit-god, was the son of the sun goddess Amaterasu's (see Amaterasu) brother Susanowo (see Susanowo). He ruled Izumo (see Izumo Cycle) until the arrival of Amaterasu's grandson Ninigi (see Ninigi), who became the ruler of what would become the islands of Japan.