Ōkuninushi fathered Kotoshironushi with Kamuyatatehime, a goddess of Miho whose son would inherit his father's oracular wisdom and speak on behalf of the earthly gods.
Kotoshironushi's image as a fisherman at Cape Miho merged over time with Ebisu, the jovial god of fishermen and good fortune, until the two became inseparable in popular worship.
⚠ Ebisu is also identified with Hiruko in competing shrine traditions; the Kotoshironushi identification is primarily associated with Nishinomiya and Miho shrines.
When Takemikazuchi descended to demand the earthly realm, he found Kotoshironushi fishing at Cape Miho and demanded his answer first — Kotoshironushi counseled his father Ōkuninushi to yield, clapped his hands, transformed his boat into a green fence of branches, and vanished behind it forever.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and improve your experience. Learn more