Jinushigami

Attested at least as far back as the ninth century, jinushigami originated as resident land kami associated with areas newly opened for settlement. As new land was brought into human use, settlers created small shrines or designated natural objects to acknowledge a preexisting spiritual presence; this practice framed occupation as a negotiated relation with the land's resident power. Over time some jinushigami came to be identified with ancestors of the first settlers or with clan ancestors, blending place-spirits and ancestor veneration.

There is no single standardized anthropomorphic iconography for jinushigami in the provided sources. They are commonly represented in practice by local markers—hokora (small roadside or field shrines) or natural objects such as trees—that function as yorishiro or shintai, indicating the kami's presence. Thus physical manifestation is typically localized and tied to the shrine or natural object rather than to an agreed visual form.

Within folk belief jinushigami act as resident landlord/guardian kami of a specific parcel of land. They are propitiated to grant blessing or permission for occupation and use of land; conversely, if not properly acknowledged or bound, they are believed capable of interfering with or cursing nearby humans. When understood as ancestral figures, they participate in reciprocal obligations typical of ancestor veneration, requiring maintenance or offerings from local inhabitants.