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. 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.

References

External links

• Evolution of the Concept of Kami
• 夜刀の神(ヤトノカミ・ヤツノカミ)
• 民俗ネオ神道 – minzoku NEO-shintô – araburu-kami