Ōtoshi or Nigihayahi, commonly known: Toshigami or Ōtoshi is a Kami of the Shintoreligion in Japan. He is the son of the Shinto deity Susanoo and the female deityKamu'ō-ichi-hime, and also the older brother of Uka-no-mitama, commonly known as Inari. Kamu'ō-ichi-hime is the youngest sister of Kushinadahime, who are both the daughters of Ōyamatsumi. Ōyamatsumi is the half-brother of Susano'o. Also, he is the father ofMitoshi by his wife Kaguyo-hime and the grandfather of Wakatoshi, son of Hayamato . The term consists of two Chinese characters, toshi and kami, meaning a deity or spirit. Toshigami are thought to be deities of the year believed to bring with each New Year. Toshigami are also thought to be the spirits of ancestors. His shrines are scattered throughout Western Japan where he is venerated. The following popular and significant shrines are:
Katsuragi Mitoshi/ Katsuragi Mitose Jinja, in the city of Goseshi, Nara Prefecture, Japan – is the nation's main shrine of the dedicated and celebrated to him
Ōyamato Shrine, in the city Tenri, Nara Prefecture, Japan – the city was briefly the capital of Japan during the reign of Emperor Ninken. The right hall of the compound is venerated to him, while the middle hall to the Shinto deity Yamato-no-Ōkunitama which this deity theoretically is the same deity as Ōkuninushi, and the left hall to the Shinto deity to Yachihoko, another name of the deity Ōkuninushi.
Genealogy
Toshigami is fathered to many other Shinto deities. The children of his wives as followed:
Ino-hime, the daughter of the Shinto deity Kamikusubi, their children:
*Ōhokuni-mitama/ Ōkuni-mitama – the meaning of his name is "Spiritual Deity of the Land of the Nation", or "Soul of the Nation" and "Pillar of the Great Nation"
*Kara – deity worshipped and introduced by immigrants of a clan from the ancient Korean kingdom of Baekje, His shrine is Sonokara-kami-no-Yashiro/ Sonokara Misha located at the northeastern part of the town of Shuzei-chō/ Chikara-machi, opposite the Ministry of the Imperial Household, in the district of Kamigyō-ku, of the palace complex of Heian-kyō, former capital and city of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
*Sofuri – deity worshipped and introduced by immigrants of a clan from the ancient Korean kingdom of Shilla/ Silla, also located in the palace complex of Heian-kyō, former capital and city of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
*Okitsu-hime – other name is Ohohe-hime/ Ōhe-hime – goddess of the kitchen and stove, hearth of the kitchen
*Ohoyamakuhi/ Ōyamakuhi – other name is Yamasu'e-no-ohonushi/ Yamasu'e-no-ōnushi. The mountain-deity of Mount Hiei is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, Japan. Also, he is the celebrated deity of both the shrine of Hiyoshi Taisha, located in Ōtsu, Shiga, Shiga Prefecture, Japan and the shrine of Matsuno'o Taisha/ Matsu'o Taisha in the south of the Arashiyama district of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
*Niwa-tsuhi – the meaning of his name is "Light who Shines/ Illuminates the Garden" – is the deity of the mansion or house
*Asuha – deity of the mansion or house and the fourth of the five column deities known as "Ikasuri/ Zama " venerated in the northern office in the western courtyard of the Department of Divinities of Heian Palace, former capital and city of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
*Hahiki – deity of the mansion or house and the fifth of the five column deities known as "Ikasuri/ Zama " venerated in the northern office in the western courtyard of Department of Divinities of Heian Palace, former capital and city of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
*Kaguyama-tomi
*Hayamato – an important male deity, who governs the mountain ridges and lower parts of the mountains. The husband of the goddessŌgetsu-hime
*Niwataka-tsuhi – the deity of the mansion or house
*Ohotsuchi/ Ōtsuchi – other name is Tsuchi-no-mi'oya – deity of the earth and soil, protector deity of the land
**
The grandchildren of Toshigami through his wife Amechikarumizu-hime, from his son Hayamato and his wife Ōgetsu-hime :
*Wakayamaku'i – deity of the mountains
* Wakatoshi, other names:
* Wakasana-me – female youth deity planting of the fields
*Mizumaki/ Midzumaki – deity of watering and irrigation
*Natsutakatsuhi – other name: Natsuno-me – deity of the Sun shining highest in the summer
*Aki-bime – other name: Aki-hime – goddess of autumn
*Kukutoshi – other name: Fuyutoshi – meaning "the stems of rice about to/ that will grow"
*Kukuki-wakamurotsunane – other names: Wakamurotsunane / Fuyuki-wakamurotsunane – the intention is to build a new room and tie it with a rope of kudzu. It is considered to build a house for the Harvest Festival
