Yato-no-kami


The Yato-no-kami are snake deities in Japanese folklore appearing in the Hitachi no Kuni Fudoki.

Properties of the gods

They lived in Namegata county, in fields near the government office. As a snake, it was an araburu-kami which are fierce kami who represent the ferocious side of nature, such as raging rivers and fierce storms - as well as natural disasters. While such things do bring suffering to people, a properly enshrined and worshipped Araburu Kami would also protect the people from these calamities. Yato no kami were rumored to bring familial extermination on anyone who saw them.

Legends

It's told that Yato no Kami were killed and enshrined by a man named Yahazu no uji no Matachi during the time when Emperor Keitai was in reign. The Yato no kami vanished later when a man named Mibunomuroji Maro drove them away from disturbing him and his workers who were building a moat there.