Name
Natsu-hime-no-Mikoto (奈津比売命)
— literally: “Princess Natsu” or “Lady of the Land of Natsu”
Identity
Natsu-hime-no-Mikoto is a local Shintō deity enshrined at Haguro-jinja in Murakami (Niigata Prefecture). Her name appears in the shrine’s ancient records in an honorific form. Although she is not widely known at the national level, she plays an important role in the religious traditions of the region.
Mythological role
She is revered as a tutelary deity of the local land, responsible for the protection of the territory, fertility, and community harmony. According to local tradition, she was the first to sanctify Mount Haguro in the Senami area, thereby bestowing a sacred character upon the region.
Famous myth
There is no canonical myth concerning Natsu-hime-no-Mikoto recorded in the Kojiki or the Nihon Shoki. However, oral traditions in Murakami relate that she guided the ancestors of the region in establishing a prosperous community, granting spiritual protection over crops and water sources.
Symbolism
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Land and local homeland: she embodies the ancestral spirit of a sacred place established prior to the classical period.
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Protective femininity: her name suggests a nurturing guardian role, closely connected to the land and to maternal symbolism.
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Regional spiritual heritage: she represents the religious continuity of Echigo Province (present-day Niigata) for over 1,300 years.