Kuni-yuzuri Legend

The Kuni-yuzuri (transfer of the land) narrative is set out in the upper scroll of the Kojiki (712 CE) and the age-of-the-gods section of the Nihon Shoki (720 CE). Amaterasu-Omikami sends a series of envoys to claim the Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni from Okuninushi-no-Kami; the first two fail to report back. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami and Ame-no-Torifune-no-Kami finally descend to Inasa-no-Hama in Izumo. Okuninushi defers to his son Kotoshironushi-no-Kami, who accepts. A second son, Takeminakata-no-Kami, challenges Takemikazuchi to a trial of strength, is defeated, and retreats to Suwa in Shinano. Okuninushi transfers the land in exchange for a grand shrine, the origin of Izumo Taisha. The narrative joins the founding cycles of Izumo Taisha, Suwa Taisha (Nagano) and Kashima Jingu (Ibaraki). The Izumo no Kuni Fudoki (733 CE) preserves related local accounts, and Motoori Norinaga's Kojiki-den (Edo period) provides a detailed commentary.