Ukanomitama-no-Mikoto

Ukanomitama is a kami of Japanese mythology whose name carries the meaning of a mysterious or sacred spirit dwelling within the rice plant. Recorded as Ukanomitama-no-Kami in the Kojiki and as Ukanomitama-no-Mikoto in the Nihon Shoki, this deity presides over grain, food, and agriculture. Though neither text explicitly defines the deity's gender, tradition has long regarded Ukanomitama as a goddess.

Ukanomitama is most widely venerated as the principal deity of Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, the head shrine of all Inari shrines across Japan. In this role, she is popularly known as Inari or O-Inari-san and is closely associated with rice cultivation, harvest, and worldly prosperity. Her identification as the chief deity of the Inari cult is attested in written sources from the Muromachi period onward, while at the Ise Grand Shrine she was venerated earlier under the title Mikura-no-Kami, the divine guardian of the imperial granary.

The fox is the sacred messenger associated with Inari worship and has become an iconic symbol of shrines dedicated to this deity. Ukanomitama's domain has expanded over time beyond agriculture to encompass commerce, industry, and general good fortune, reflecting the evolving needs of her devoted worshippers throughout Japanese history.