also: なかがみ
Ten'ichijin; Nakagami; directional taboo deity
In Onmyōdō, a god of fortune whose location changes daily in a clockwise circuit; traveling in that direction is considered unlucky. The detailed cycle is given in the English gloss.
In Onmyōdō, it was said that one should avoid setting out in the direction where Ten'ichijin resides.
Ten'ichijin is said to travel the earth from the day of Tsuchinoto-Tori to the day of Mizunoto-Mi.
The broader esoteric cosmology in which Ten'ichijin appears; 天一神 is a specific deity within that system.
A practice of avoiding an unlucky direction, often because of Ten'ichijin's presence; 天一神 is the reason for the taboo, while 方違え is the action taken.
Primary kanji form for the Onmyōdō deity, read てんいちじん.
Alternate name, read なかがみ; less common than 天一神.
The name 天一神 (Ten'ichijin) literally means 'Heaven-One Deity'. The reading なかがみ for 中神 is a native Japanese reading meaning 'middle god', referring to the deity's position in the directional cycle. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the deity is firmly rooted in Onmyōdō traditions.