He could assume the form of a snake or of a human being. The name Ohonamochi tells us nothing. It means great-name-possessor, and is simply honorific. An alternative title is Oho-kuni-nushi, or great land-master, Kuni-nushi being perhaps an honorary epithet equivalent to "king." Another name of this deity, Oho-kuni-dama (great land spirit), is more significant. It shows that he was regarded as one of the Kuni-dama or earth-deities mentioned above. His Earth-God quality is also implied by the _alias_ Oho-toko-nushi, or great-place-master. This God belongs mainly to the Idzumo group of myths. He is the son of Susa no wo, also an Idzumo God. The great centre of his worship to this day, and the holiest spot in Japan, next after Ise, is Kidzuki, a town in that province. His shrine here[113] is known all over Japan as the _Taisha_, or Great Shrine, and was formerly of exceptional magnificence. There is a widespread belief that all the Gods of Japan resort hither in the tenth month, which is therefore called _Kami-na-dzuki_, or the godless month. But Hirata's suggestion that _Kami-na-dzuki_ is really for _Kami-name-dzuki_, the divine tasting-month, that is, the month of the harvest festival, is very plausible. Kaempfer transfers this annual visit of the Gods from Idzumo to the Mikado's palace, a blundering account of a myth which itself rests on a blunder. The story of his deposition[114] by Take-mika-dzuchi and Futsunushi is probably an echo of a real historical event, when the rulers of Idzumo were compelled to yield up their temporal power to the conquerors of Yamato, retaining however, their control of spiritual matters. Miwa, in Yamato, was another seat of this deity's worship. To be more exact, it was his _nigi-tama_, or gentle spirit, which was worshipped here. He is also associated with the numerous shrines called Sannō or Hiye. The Sono no kami (garden deity), to whom there was a shrine in the Palace, is also believed to be Ohomononushi, the _nigi-tama_ of Ohonamochi. Along with Sukuna-bikona he is worshipped at Kanda, Tokio, as showing special favour to the inhabitants of that city (_Yedokko no mitama no kami_). These two deities are supposed to grant protection against small-pox. The _Kojiki_ story of Ohonamochi's adventures in Yomi[115] has no apparent connexion with his status as an Earth-God. Dr. Buckley argues that the Ohonamochi of this narrative is a Moon-God, and that his eighty brothers are the stars. I think it will be found to contain foreign and later elements, and that the introduction of Ohonamochi's name is merely accidental. The _Nihongi_ passes it over in silence. The _shintai_ of Ohonamochi is a necklace of jewels. His _nigi-tama_, or gentle spirit, is represented by a mirror, the _shintai_ of the _ara-tama_, or rough spirit, being a spear.