Shiotsuchinooji (シオツチノオジ)

Shiotsuchinooji (Shihotsuchinooji) is a deity (in the Shinto religion) who appears in the Japanese Mythology and is also called Shiogama-myojin. His name is written as Shiotsuchinokami in Kojiki (The Record of Ancient Matters), Shitsuchinooji or Shiotsutsunooji in Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan), and Shiotsuchinooji in Sendai Kyujihongi (Ancient Japanese History) respectively. His is also called Kotokatsukunikatsunagisa.

Description in Mythology
According to the story of tensonkorin (the descent to earth of the grandson of sun goddess) described in Nihonshoki, when Ninigi arrived at Kasasa-no-misaki Cape after descending to Takachiho no mine in Hyuga, Kotokatsukunikatsunagisa appeared and presented his own province to Ninigi. According to Issho (a book quoted in Nihonshoki), Shiotsuchinooji is another name of Kotokatsukunikatsunagisa and he is regarded as being a son of Izanagi.

In the story of Umisachi Yamasachi, he appeared in front of Hoori (Yamasachihiko) who was grieving after losing Hoderi's (Umisachihiko's) fishhook. After hearing the situation from Hoori, he gave Hoori a ride on a small boat (or a tightly woven bamboo basket). Then, he gave advice to Hoori by saying "Go ahead and you will reach the palace of Watatsumi no kami with the help of a favorable tide, and you only need to wait on top of the tree situated in front of the palace until Watatsumi takes action in favor of you."

According to the story of Jinmu tosei (a story in Japanese mythology about the first generation of the Imperial family) of Nihonshoki, the Emperor Jinmu made up his mind to go to East because Shiotsutsunooji said that there was good land in the East.

Explanation
As indicated by his name 'Shihotsuchi,' which means 'shiotsutama (soul of tides)' and/or 'shiotsuji (route of tides),' he is a deity presiding over the tides, namely a deity of navigation.

In Kiki shinwa (the mythology described in Kojiki and Nihonshoki), Shiotsuchinooji plays an important role of providing information to the characters and suggesting the way they should take. Such a story in which a sea-related deity provides a suggestion is similar to the story of 'The Old Man of the Sea' which appears in Greek Mythology etc.

Furthermore, Shiotsuchinooji is also worshipped as the deity of salt manufacture. According to the shrine history of Shiogama-jinja Shrine (Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture), the head shrine of shrines that enshrine Shiotsuchinooji, Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi came to Shiogama after they had conquered various provinces with the guidance of Shiotsuchinooji. It is said that although Takemikazuchi no kami and Futsunushi no kami soon left Shiogama, Shiotsuchinooji remained there and taught people fishery and the method of manufacturing salt.

He is worshipped as a deity of sea, a deity of salt manufacture as well as a deity of magic/prediction and is enshrined at Shiogama-jinja Shrines in various places.

[Original Japanese]