The origins of the Great Land Master, known to history as Okuninushi-no-Kami, began in hardship, treachery, and the harsh lessons of mortality. In his youth, he was called Onamuji, a gentle and compassionate deity who stood in stark contrast to his eighty brothers, the Yasogami. These brothers were aggressive, vain, and filled with a burning jealousy toward Onamuji, particularly after his kindness to the Hare of Inaba won him the hand of the beautiful Princess Yakami. Seeking to rid themselves of their younger brother, the Yasogami devised several lethal traps. They forced Onamuji to catch a red-hot boulder under the guise of capturing a mythical red boar, which burned him to death, though his mother Sashikuni-wakame and the goddess-helpers of heaven restored him. Undeterred, the brothers trapped him in a split tree trunk, crushing him once more. Realizing that the surface world of Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni offered no safety from his brothers' relentless malice, his mother advised him to seek sanctuary in Ne-no-Kuni, the deep, subterranean Land of Roots. There, deep below the surface of the earth, resided the ancient storm god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Onamuji’s ancestor. It was believed that if Onamuji could survive the journey to this dark, primordial underworld and win the favor of the storm god, he would find the power and wisdom necessary to claim his rightful place on earth. With a heavy heart but a resolute spirit, Onamuji descended into the shadowy depths, leaving around the sunlight of Izumo for the mysterious, cavernous realm of the dead and the divine.
The journey to Ne-no-Kuni was long and perilous, marked by winding paths that led deep into the bowels of the earth where the air grew thick with the scent of damp soil, ancient stone, and the distant rumble of thunder. At last, Onamuji arrived at the threshold of Susanoo’s grand palace, a monumental fortress built from massive timbers and dark stone that seemed to grow naturally from the cavern walls. Outside the palace gates stood a crystal-clear well, fed by subterranean springs. As Onamuji approached the well to wash the dust of travel from his face and hands, Suseri-hime, the beautiful and high-spirited daughter of Susanoo, emerged from the palace to draw water. The moment their eyes met, time seemed to stand still. Suseri-hime was captivated by Onamuji’s gentle countenance, his refined nobility, and the quiet strength that lay beneath his road-weary appearance. Onamuji, too, was instantly enchanted by her ethereal beauty and fierce, intelligent gaze. Without hesitation, they pledged their hearts to one another in that brief, silent encounter. Suseri-hime hurried back inside the palace to inform her father of the arrival of a remarkable youth. Susanoo, however, was not easily impressed. When he stepped out to inspect the visitor, he did not offer a warm welcome. Instead, he sneered, calling Onamuji "Ashihara-shikoo," meaning the "ugly man of the reed plains." Susanoo saw a rival in the young god, a soft surface-dweller who needed to be tested by the harshest elements of the underworld to prove his mettle.
Susanoo's tests began immediately, designed not just to challenge Onamuji but to break his spirit and end his life. For the first night, Susanoo commanded that Onamuji sleep in the chamber of snakes. This room was a dark, claustrophobic vault where thousands of venomous serpents writhed in a continuous, hissing mass, their scales scraping against the cold stone floor and their fangs dripping with deadly poison. Realizing the mortal danger her lover faced, Suseri-hime secretly slipped Onamuji a magical scarf, known as a hire. She instructed him that when the snakes prepared to strike, he must wave the scarf three times before them. Trusting her implicitly, Onamuji entered the terrifying chamber. As the heavy wooden door slammed shut, the serpents hissed and reared their heads, preparing to tear his flesh. Onamuji calmly pulled out the magical scarf and waved it three times in the dim light. The scarf emitted a soft, divine vibration that washed over the room, instantly soothing the serpents’ aggression. The snakes bowed their heads, coiled peacefully around his feet, and acted as a soft, warm bed. When morning came and Susanoo opened the chamber door, expecting to find a swollen, lifeless corpse, he was shocked to find Onamuji sitting peacefully in the center of the room, completely unharmed and resting comfortably.