Read, reflect, pray
Nihon Shoki: Two kami shape the land: the way to Miwa
Nihon Shoki · Story 11 of 17
二柱で国を整え、三輪へ
Ōnamuchi, Sukunabikona, and the saki-mitama and kushi-mitama.
English translation of this site’s published story summary and reading notes. This is a selected reading guide, not a complete translation of the ancient chronicle.
A variant account (issho, introduced as “one writing says”) is a different tradition preserved beside the main narrative. It is labeled separately below.
Variant account (issho)
Book 1, section 8 variant 6
Ōnamuchi and Sukunabikona unite their hearts to put the land in order. They establish methods for treating people’s and livestock’s illnesses and preventing harm from birds, beasts, and insects: their work extends into daily life.
After Sukunabikona leaves for Tokoyo, Ōnamuchi continues the remaining work alone. A deity appears illuminating the sea and identifies itself as Ōnamuchi’s own saki-mitama and kushi-mitama. A palace is established in response to its wish to dwell on Mount Mimoro; the account identifies this as Ōmiwa’s deity.
The same variant looks back to the meeting with Sukunabikona, recording a tiny deity arriving by boat and naming Takamimusubi as that deity’s parent.
Compare with the Kojiki
The Kojiki names Kamimusubi as Sukunabikona’s parent. The sea-arriving deity is also explained differently: this Nihon Shoki variant explicitly calls it Ōnamuchi’s own saki-mitama and kushi-mitama.
The small kami and the light across the sea →Connected figures
Names and relationships in a chronicle may differ from later traditions. Each figure’s introduction identifies its sources.
Sources and edition (1)
English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.