Ōkuninushi

Overview

Synopsis

Relationships

Cultural References

Image Gallery

Ōkuninushi
Name
Kanji	大 (おお) 国 (くに) 主 (ぬし)
Romaji	Ōkuninushi
Also Known As	大黒天 Daikokuten 土蜘蛛オオナムチ Tsuchigumo Ōnamuchi イズモ Izumo ヤクモ Yakumo
Profile
Race	God
Gender	Male
Hair Color	Blonde
Status
Status	Alive
Occupation	God of Wealth
Debut
Manga	Chapter 28
Anime	Aragoto Episode 7
Portrayal
Japanese Voice	Shunsuke Sakuya
English Voice	Bryan Massey

"You wanna dig out my tush-crystal, Yukine?!" The contents of this article and/or its subpages contain manga spoilers.

“	This isn't the first time I've opposed the Heavens. As a spider, as a bear, I scared 'em so bad they had to seal me away... Are we gonna do this again?	”
—Ōkuninushi, Chapter 33

Ōkuninushi (大 (おお) 国 (くに) 主 (ぬし) , Ookuninushi^?), also known as Daikokuten (大 (だい) 黒 (こく) 主 (てん) , Daikokuten^?), is one of the most well-known of the Seven Gods of Fortune. He is the god of nation-building, farming, business, medicine, and matchmaking.

Appearance

Ōkuninushi has the appearance of a middle-aged man with white hair and a tan complexion. He has short, spiky blonde hair and a goatee, as well as a distinct tuft of chest hair that is usually visible through his clothing. Since he is always wearing a pair of aviator sunglasses, his eyes are completely obscured, though they have been shown once and appear very sharp.^{[citation needed]}

Ōkuninushi's casual attire consists of a leather jacket worn over a loose shirt with a deep V-neck and dark pants. He has also worn a much simpler set of traditional clothing, consisting of a jinbei set (a kimono-like shirt and baggy short trousers) and a haori. Two accessories that Ōkuninushi always seems to wear are his sunglasses and a simple good luck charm tied around his neck with a string.

Personality

Ōkuninushi has a bold and caring personality. He's demonstrated that he has great loyalty, trust, and concern for his fellow Gods of Fortune, to the point that he would stand up to Heaven when they are questioned. However, at times he is too afraid to act despite believing it the right thing to do.

In the past, he was said to have caused many earthquakes in the living realm, but he currently seems unhappy with causing violence or large-scale destruction.

Skills & Abilities

• Terrestrial Spider Ōnamuchi (土 (つち) 蜘 (ぐ) 蛛 (も) オオナムチ, Tsuchigumo Ōnamuchi^?, lit. "Earth spider Ōnamuchi"): Ōkuninushi is capable of transforming into a giant spider that can cause earthquakes on the Near Shore. Ōnamuchi is powerful enough that long ago, he was feared by the Heavens and sealed.

Ōkuninushi begins to transform.

Ōnamuchi, fully transformed.

Quotes

• To Bishamonten: "We're not all-knowing, or all-powerful. We're all lacking in some area. That's why there are so many gods, isn't it? So someone can always make up the difference!" (Chapter 56)
• To Takemikazuchi: "I was there, too. But I was too afraid to do anything but watch. I'm still ashamed of myself for that... Hold your head high, Takemikazuchi. On that day, you were on the side that was more right than the Heavens." (Chapter 91)

Trivia

Ōkuninushi and Inaba.

• He has a pet rabbit named Inaba-chan, which references the myth of the Hare of Inaba.^{[citation needed]}
• Ōkuninushi is sometimes accompanied by an attendant (presumably his guide) whose appearance is very similar to how Ōkuninushi himself (as Daikokuten) is depicted in traditional figurines and charms.
• In Chapter 96, Father refers to Ōkuninushi's spider transformation as the "tsuchigumo". Historically, tsuchigumo was a term used to refer to aborigines who did not show allegiance to the divine emperor of Japan. The title of Chapter 33, "Wielder of an Iron Will" (イシ椎 (つつ) い持 (も) ち, Ishi Tsutsui Mochi^?), references a song in the Kojiki that was used as an order to smite tsuchigumo. In this same chapter, Ōkuninushi explains that he was once sealed away for opposing Heaven.
  • He also notes that he was widely feared "as a spider, as a bear". Izumo, a province closely associated with Ōkuninushi, contains two prominent shrines: Izumo Taisha and Kumano Taisha. The name Izumo contains the kanji 雲 (くも) kumo, which is homophonous to the word for spider 蜘 (くも) kumo; the name Kumano contains the kanji 熊 (くま) kuma, meaning "bear".