Name
- Futsunushi no Kami (経津主神)
- Futsunushi no Kami
Identity
Futsunushi no Kami (経津主神, Futsunushi no kami) is a major warrior kami, very often associated with Takemikazuchi no Kami (武甕槌神). His name is linked to the idea of “cutting” power and martial authority, and he is especially known as a deity who intervenes when order must be imposed and the land secured.
Mythological role
Futsunushi embodies a force that pacifies through legitimate authority: military power in the service of balance, stability, and protection. In the myths, he acts as an emissary and guarantor of transitions between old powers and a new order. He is therefore associated with victory, but also with legitimacy and the control of forces that threaten harmony.
Famous myth
Like Takemikazuchi, Futsunushi appears in the episode of kuni-yuzuri
(国譲り, the “transfer/cession of the land”).
He accompanies the heavenly envoy in the negotiation (or show of force) meant to obtain the handover of the terrestrial realm
to the divine lineage.
In several versions, Takemikazuchi is the figure most emphasized in the confrontation, while Futsunushi strengthens the sense
of an “official mission”: a delegation of warrior deities guaranteeing both the transition and the pacification.
Worship
Futsunushi is especially venerated at Katori Jingū (香取神宮) in Chiba Prefecture, one of his principal shrines. He is often prayed to for:
protection and victory (competitions, exams, major projects);
safety, especially during travel or risky activities;
success in martial arts and disciplines requiring mastery;
mental strength, consistency, and the ability to “hold the line.”
Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi are frequently presented as a complementary duo in the warrior-deity imagination.
Symbolism
Futsunushi symbolizes pacification (calming through legitimate force), discipline, and stabilizing authority.
Where Takemikazuchi suggests direct impact (thunder, duel, victory), Futsunushi leans more toward the idea of an order that is
installed durably: securing, guarding, and enforcing.
In short: a “guardian” energy—useful when seeking protection, solidity, and long-term control.