Yato-no-kami

The Yato-no-kami (夜刀の神, "gods of the night-sword") are snake deities in Japanese folklore appearing in the Hitachi no Kuni Fudoki. They lived in Namegata county, in fields near the government office. As a snake, it was an araburu-kami (荒ぶる神, "malevolent-kami") which are a malignant kami who bring affliction to human beings.[1] Yato no kami were rumored to bring familial extermination on anyone who saw them.

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.[2]

References
  1. "民俗ネオ神道 – minzoku NEO-shintô – araburu-kami". www.stonedragonpress.com.
  2. "Evolution of the Concept of Kami". www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp.


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