Name

  • Ukanomitama no Kami (宇迦之御魂神)

Identity

Ukanomitama no Kami is a kami closely associated with rice and, more broadly, with food and abundance. The name is commonly understood as referring to uka, a term linked to food products—especially rice— and to mitama (御魂), meaning “sacred spirit” or “divine essence.”
In religious practice, Ukanomitama is very frequently connected to the cult of Inari. Depending on the shrine and tradition, Ukanomitama may be presented either as a principal deity of Inari worship or as one of the kami that collectively form Inari Ōkami.

Mythological role

Ukanomitama’s role centers on the fertility of the fields, the growth and maturation of rice, prosperity, and subsistence—everything that nourishes and sustains life. By extension, the kami is also invoked for success in activities related to production, commerce, and resources, since “what nourishes” naturally comes to symbolize “what allows prosperity to grow.”

Famous myth

Ukanomitama no Kami does not have a single, universally known myth comparable to those of Amaterasu or Susanoo. Its identity has largely been transmitted through local traditions and through close association with Inari worship.
What remains constant across regions is the image of a deity who guarantees harvests and abundance, enshrined at Inari shrines (Inari-jinja) and integrated into narratives that emphasize the protection of resources, the prosperity of communities, and the continuity of subsistence.

Worship

Ukanomitama is widely venerated through Inari shrines, which are famous for their vermilion torii gates, often arranged in long sequences. The most common prayers include:

  • good harvests and abundance (agriculture, food, and “never lacking”);

  • prosperity in business (commerce, craftsmanship, enterprises);

  • success in concrete projects and material stability;

  • gratitude for blessings already received (offerings and prayers of thanks).

Typical offerings in popular imagery revolve around food and prosperity: rice, sake, and—at many Inari shrines—inari-zushi.

Symbolism

Ukanomitama no Kami symbolizes a form of prosperity that is tangible and sustaining: prosperity born from food, resources, and labor that bears fruit. The kami is commonly associated with:

  • rice (ine 稲 / kome 米) and sheaves of grain as symbols of abundance;

  • Inari shrines and their distinctive visual elements (torii gates, banners, small roadside altars);

  • kitsune (foxes) as messengers linked to Inari worship, understood as symbolic intermediaries rather than the deity itself.