The kami enshrined at Okuni Jinja is Ōnamuchi-no-mikoto, who is also known as Ōkuninushi-no-mikoto, which means "Great Land Master". In Japanese, that is abbreviated, with love and respect, to Daikoku-sama.
"Oh dear," said Daikoku-sama, "what on earth happened to you? Your hair has all been stripped off, and you look very sore."
Once upon a time, when Daikoku-sama was being made to carry all his brothers' luggage on a long journey, he fell behind the rest of them, and came across a rabbit crying on a beach.
But one day, I decided I wanted to cross the sea, so I called the sharks. "Hey, sharks! Are there more of us rabbits, or more of you? Let's see who wins! I'll count you, so just line up."
Through tears, the rabbit said, "Will you listen to my story? Well, you see, I used to live on that island across the sea.
I bounced from one shark to another, counting aloud as I went, but when I was just one shark from the sure, I couldn't help myself any longer. "Ha! Fooled you all!
I just wanted to cross the sea! Thank you for being a bridge!"
The shark shouted, "You little cheat!", and stripped all the fur from my body. And so I find myself in this sad state."
After hearing the story, Daikoku-sama spoke gently to the rabbit. "So that's whaat happened.
I'm sorry to hear that, but you shouldn't have tried to trick the sharks. Still, do what I say, and your wounds will heal."
"First, wash yourself in the pure water of the river. Then, wrap yourself in the cattail cotton you can see over there."
At once, the rabbit jumped into the river, splashing the water over the wounds. As they were washed, the pain eased. Then the rabbit lay on the cattail cotton, and pure white fur began to grow back all over the rabbit's body.
How wonderful!
"This is amazing! I'm cured! Thank you Daikoku-sama!
You are so kind!"
