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Sukunabikona

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Sukunabikona

Sukunabikona or Sukuna bikona (少彦名神, also known as Sukuna-biko, Sukuna-biko-na, Sukuna hikona) is the Shinto kami of the onsen (hot springs), agriculture, healing, magic, brewing sake and knowledge. His name means "the small lord of renown." He is often described as being a dwarf and is frequently paired with Ōkuninushi.

One day while Ōkuninushi was at Miho Bay, he saw a small boat on the whitecap waves. The boat was made of a Metaplexis pod. Inside was a small dwarf, no bigger than a thumb. Ōkuninushi picked him up, and Sukuna-biko-na bit him on the cheek. Ōkuninushi asked him his name, but he would not reply. Then a nearby toad said to bring Sukuna-biko-na to Kuebiko the kami of agriculture, as the scarecrow god would know. When Kuebiko saw the dwarf, he said "That is Sukuna son of Kami-Musubi." Kamimusubi is part of the primordial creator trinity with Takamimusubi and Ame-no-Minakanushi. Ōkuninushi was shocked that such a small being could be the son of such a powerful creator goddess.

Ōkuninushi brought Sukuna-biko-na to Kami-Musubi, who said that yes, he was her son, and that he fell out of her fingers. Ōkuninushi was on a quest to continue the creation of the Central Reed Plain and unite the people. She decreed that the two would work together to help finish building Izumo, and they joined forces to help build the land.

Tradition holds that Sukuna-biko-na left this world at Awaji Island by climbing a grain of millet, which then dipped under his weight and rebounded, flinging him into Tokoyo no Kuni.

As part of his quest to help Ōkuninushi complete construction of the land, Sukuna-biko-na invented medicines and cures for illnesses and diseases, including magical spells for protection. In addition to his other domains, he is a master of magic and wizardry. His ascension into space, rather than a natural death, makes him a Marebito.

On one of their adventures, Sukuna became ill. They went to the Dōgo hot springs. Ōkuninushi put Sukuna-biko in the hot spring water to revive him. Sukuna hikona then took a nap. When he awoke, he was cured, and Sukuna danced on a stone. His footprints left an impression on the rock, known as Tamanoishi, which remains in Dogo Onsen today north of the main building.

The ability for the natural hot spring to cure a god bestowed the waters, and the land itself from which they sprung, a divine importance.

He is known as an immigrant deity, in that he came from across the sea and then departed the land.

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