Yamato no Kuni no Miyatsuko

Their Ujigami or clan god is Yamato Okunitama of Ōyamato Shrine Some scholars interpret the kami as being a variant or epithet of Ōmononushi who has much more widespread worship. There is a complex myth about the origins of modern worship of Yamato Okunitama during the reign of Emperor Sujin.

History

During Jimmu's Eastern Expedition Saonetsuhiko was given the position of governor of Yamato Province by Emperor Jimmu. And Saonetsuhiko became their ancestor.

There is a complex myth about the reign of Emperor Sujin and its link to the worship of Yamato Okunitama and Amaterasu. There was a crisis during his reign and eventually the worship of Amaterasu and Yamato Okunitama were moved out of the imperial palace to separate shrines.

Worship of Amaterasu moved to Hibara Shrine and then many other shrines called Moto-Ise Shrines until eventually reaching Ise Jingu.

By contrast the worship of Yamato Okunitama moved to Oyamato Shrine, near Hibara Shrine and Omiwa Shrine. Yamato Okunitama was first entrusted to a daughter of Emperor Sujin named Nunaki-iri-hime, but shortly afterwards, her health began to fail. It is recorded that she became emaciated and lost all of her hair, which rendered her unable to perform her duties. These efforts still did not alleviate the ongoing plague, so Sujin decreed that a divination be performed sometime during the 7th year of his reign, that would involve him making a trip to the plain of Kami-asaji, and invoking the eighty myriad deities.

After the divination, Ichishi no Nagaochi, a descendant of Shinetsuhiko would conduct the rites pertaining to Okunitama, replacing the emaciated Nunaki-iri-hime. Ichishi no Nagaochi would be the ancestor of the Yamato no Kuni no Miyatsuko.

Agoko no Sukune was a notable member of the clan and governor of Yamato Province