Susa-no-o (no-mikoto)

   The 'brother' of Amaterasu, born from the nose of Izanagi during his lustrations in a stream following his narrow escape from the underworld. Susa-no-o is the 'impetuous male' storm-god, author of various boorish and tabooed actions directed against Amaterasu, which cause her to retreat into a cave from which the other 'heavenly deities' then devise a means of luring her (see Iwato-biraki). Despite, or because of, his propensity to inflict disaster Susa-no-o is regarded as a protector against calamity, as in the Gion matsuri held at the most important Susa-no-o temple, the Yasaka jinja in Kyoto. There are about 3,000 shrines in Japan established with the bunrei of Yasaka jinja, where Susa-no-o is identified with Gozu tenno, the Ox-head emperor. He is worshipped under a variety of other names which connect him mainly with forestry and agriculture. There are only a dozen shrines, such as the Susa Jinja in Shimane, which revere him under the name Susa-no-o.