Yamato Okunitama

Yamato Okunitama
The Haiden, or main prayer hall or Oyamato Shrine where he is worshipped
Major cult centreŌyamato Shrine
Yamato Okunitama Shrine

Yamato Okunitama (Japanese: 倭大国魂神) is a kami, the okunitama (国魂; 'country spirit') or tutelary deity of Yamato Province.

They are the ujigami, or 'clan deity', of the Yamato clan, and are worshiped at Ōyamato Shrine. Some scholars interpret the kami as being a variant or epithet of Ōmononushi.: 22 

As the Yamato court grew in power, shrines were constructed in more and more places beyond Yamato Province.: 22 

The scholar Hirata Atsutane said that the deities who were subjects of morning prayer within Yamato province were Yamato Okunitama, Ōmononushi, and Kotoshironushi.: 343 

Yamato Okunitama appears in the Nihon Shoki, as well as the Kogo Shūi. He was formerly worshiped in the imperial palace, but Amaterasu was ultimately promoted over him when Emperor Sujin was disturbed by the presence of two competing kami'. This may be the ultimate reason that Amaterasu is considered to be the main deity of Shinto today. Another interpretation is that Amaterasu's influence actually suffered as a result of this, as the center of her cult moved from the imperial palace to more diffuse locations, culminating in Ise.

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