Yato-no-kami

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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]

In popular culture[]

In the 2020 action role-playing game Nioh 2, Yato-no-Kami (named Yatsu-no-Kami in-game) makes an appearance as a boss enemy that protagonist has to fight in order to progress. In the game, it takes the form of a giant snake, with 2 smaller snakes protruding from it's body.^[3]

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

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