Oshira-sama
Radish God
A household deity appearing in Japanese folklore centered in the Tohoku region. Protects silkworms, agriculture, and horses, and is connected to the origin legends of sericulture.
Trivia
- Oshira-sama's sacred objects are often enshrined as a pair: male and female or horse and daughter.
- Worshipped secretly across the country, with details rarely revealed to outsiders.
- The horse daughter marriage tale is an example of interspecies marriage tales, overlapping with myths of agriculture and sericulture.
- Oshira-sama is a central figure in traditions protecting silkworms and horses, wishing for agricultural prosperity.
- Due to faith taboos, meat and eggs are avoided as offerings.
Alternate names
Oshira-sama
Oshira-sama
Oshirasa-ma
Oshinme-sama
Oshinmei-sama
Okonai-sama
Profile
- Species
- Deity
- Birthday
- Old calendar January 16, March 16, September 16
Appearance
- Overall appearance
- A sacred object made from a mulberry wood stick about 30cm long, with male and female or horse faces drawn on the tip, overlaid with multiple layers of cloth clothing. There are tunic-style and head-wrapped types.
- Height
- Approximately 30cm
- Distinguishing features
-
- Sacred object with male and female or horse faces drawn
- Multiple layers of cloth-made clothing worn
- Iconic items
-
- Mulberry wood sacred object
- God shelf
- Sacred chants
Personality and abilities
- Core personality
- Guardian
- Detailed personality
- Worshipped as a god that watches over family, agriculture, silkworms, and horses; fond of children and exists as a village guardian deity. Accompanied by strict taboos.
- Keywords
-
- Guardian
- Folklore
- Mystical
- Agricultural deity
- Silkworm deity
- Vengeful deity
- Household deity
- Women's group faith
- Talents
-
- Protection of crops
- Silkworm management
- Horse protection
- Fortune and misfortune judgment
- Precognition (earthquakes, fires, etc.)
- Skills
-
- Chanting sacred texts to summon the deity
- Divination using sacred texts
- Divination using the sacred object
- Motivation
- To protect the prosperity and safety of family and village. Wishes for the stability of sericulture traditions and agricultural life.
- Habits
- Believed to bring curses if worship is stopped. Unique faith practice of 'playing' with the sacred object during festivals.
- Favorite places
- Mountain villages in Tohoku region, Mulberry leaves, Farmhouses
- Favorite foods
- Non-meat diet (dislikes animal meat and eggs)
- Disliked foods
- Animal meat, Eggs
- Disliked situations
- Neglectful worship, Abandoning faith
History
- Backstory
- Transmitted mainly in the Tohoku region as a guardian deity of silkworms, agriculture, and horses. Many doll materials are preserved at the Tono Folklore Village in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. Origin legend tells of a tragic love story between a farmer's daughter and a horse.
- Work title
- Spirited Away
- Media type
- Movie
Oshira Festival (Memorial Day)
- Significant event
- Oshira Festival (Memorial Day)
- Description
- On old calendar January 16, March 16, and September 16, a ritual is held to overlay new clothing on the sacred object.
Horse Daughter Marriage Tale
- Significant event
- Horse Daughter Marriage Tale
- Description
- Legend of a tragic love between a farmer's daughter and a horse, where the daughter ascends to heaven and becomes Oshira-sama.
Tono Monogatari Shuyu (Tono Story Supplements)
- Significant event
- Tono Monogatari Shuyu (Tono Story Supplements)
- Description
- Records customs indicating hunting directions and legends of precognition for earthquakes and fires.
Relationships
Chihiro
Supporting
Accompanied Chihiro through the bathhouse maze and guided her to Yubaba
Media appearances
Spirited Away
Movie / Supporting
2001 theatrical release
Voice cast and creators
Akihiro Yasuda
- Voice actor
- Akihiro Yasuda
- Language
- Japanese
- Version or series
- Theatrical version
Hayao Miyazaki
- Creator name
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Role
- Original author
Studio Ghibli
- Creator name
- Studio Ghibli
- Role
- Animation studio