1.2 Okuninushi-no-Okami and Amaterasu-Omikami#

I previously mentioned that Amaterasu-Omikami is Japan’s supreme deity. There is a running joke that the sheer number of “Inari Shrines” (associated with rice and agriculture) in modern Japan—far outnumbering those dedicated to Amaterasu—suggests that the Japanese people care more about their daily bread than building a military powerhouse. Yet, Okuninushi-no-Okami, enshrined here at Izumo Taisha, is also revered as the “Head of All Gods.” How do we reconcile this?

To understand the unique status of Izumo Taisha, one must understand the delicate relationship between Okuninushi and the ancestor of the Japanese Imperial Family, Amaterasu-Omikami of Ise Jingu. It is a relationship akin to a mythological version of Game of Thrones. Simply put, it was a political negotiation centered on “quid pro quo” and a “division of labor.”

Genealogically, Okuninushi is a descendant of Amaterasu’s brother (Susanoo-no-Mikoto), making them relatives. However, the core of their relationship lies in the famous “Myth of the Transfer of the Land” (Kuniyuzuri). In ancient times, Okuninushi labored on earth to build a prosperous nation known as “Ashihara no Nakatsukuni” (The Central Land of Reed Plains—ancient Japan). However, Amaterasu, ruling from the High Plain of Heaven (Takamagahara), decided that this land should be governed by her own descendants (the lineage of the Emperors). She sent envoys down to negotiate, demanding that Okuninushi hand over his sovereignty.

Facing pressure from the heavens, Okuninushi eventually agreed to “cradle the land,” but he proposed a crucial condition for the exchange: “I will surrender my rule over the secular world, but in return, you must build me a palace as high as the clouds (the present-day Izumo Taisha), and let me rule over the ‘Unseen World’.”

This agreement established the dual structure of Shinto authority: Amaterasu governs the “Visible World” (Kenkai—reality, politics, and state affairs), thus becoming the primary deity of the Imperial Family; meanwhile, Okuninushi withdrew behind the scenes to govern the “Hidden World” (Yukai—the invisible realm, souls, the afterlife), as well as the mysterious “connections” (En) between people.

This explains why Okuninushi is regarded as the “Head of the Gods.” While Amaterasu holds supreme status in the open world, during the “Month of the Gods” (Kamiarizuki) in the tenth lunar month, the eight million gods of Japan gather in Izumo. There, Okuninushi presides over the great assembly to discuss the fortunes and relationships for the coming year. It is precisely because of this high status that worship at Izumo Taisha involves a unique “Four Claps” ritual, distinguishing it from the standard “Two Claps” performed at ordinary shrines (including Ise Jingu). This serves as a special symbol of Okuninushi’s authority as the “Ruler of the Unseen World.”