Ōmononushi


Ōmononushi is a kami in the Japanese Shinto tradition. He is saki-mitama and kushi-mitama of Ōkuninushi and associated with Mount Miwa and is worshipped at the Ōmiwa shrine located there.
During the reign of Emperor Sujin, a plague affected the country. After Ōmononushi's descendant, Ōtataneko, petitioned the kami, the Emperor had a dream in which Ōmononushi appeared to him and claimed responsibility for the plague, announcing that it would not stop until an appropriate priesthood was set up on Mount Miwa. When the Emperor created such a priesthood, the plague ceased. Ōmononushi was worshipped as a nature spirit who provided good weather and bountiful harvests, and was strongly associated with snakes.
At least two legends narrates Ōmononushi fathering children with human women. On one occasion, he transformed himself into an arrow in order to impregnate a girl named Seyadatarahime, whilst on another occasion, he used the form of a snake to have a son with the maiden, Ikutamayorihime. In the Kojiki he is recognised as the ancestor of Himetataraisuzu-hime, the spouse of Emperor Jimmu.