also: うかたま · うけのみたま
god of food (esp. rice)
Shinto deity associated with grains, particularly rice; often identified with Ukanomitama-no-kami.
Ukanomitama is worshipped as a deity of grain harvests.
At Fushimi Inari Taisha, Ukanomitama-no-kami is enshrined.
稲魂 (Uka-no-Mitama) is the formal deity name, while 稲荷 is the everyday name for the same god of harvests.
Standard kanji spelling for the deity of food and rice.
Rarely used reading for this spelling.
Alternate kanji spelling; also read うかたま.
Alternate reading for this spelling.
Rarely used kanji form.
The name is ancient, appearing in forms such as 宇迦之御魂神. It is commonly analyzed as うか, “food or grain,” plus 御魂, “august spirit.”