city god; guardian deity of a city and its marketplace
A tutelary deity protecting a city, especially its commercial district. Historically associated with marketplaces and merchant quarters.
この町の市神は商売繁盛の神様として信仰されている。
The city god of this town is worshipped as a deity of prosperous business.
Compound of 市 (ichi, 'market') and 神 (kami, 'god'), referring to a deity that protects a city or marketplace. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the term is rooted in Shintō and folk belief traditions.