Inugami Mochi - Inugami Mochi

...A type of tsukumono found mainly in Shikoku, eastern Kyushu, and the western part of the Chugoku region. In these areas, there are families (called "Inugami-suji," "Inugami-mochi," "Inugami-tō," etc.) that worship the spirit of a dog as a god, and it is believed that the members of such families can possess an Inugami on someone they dislike, causing illness or death. Once an Inugami is worshiped, it will never leave the family for generations to come, and it is also believed that the tradition spreads through marriage, so marriage with someone from the Inugami family was frowned upon.

*Some of the terminology explanations that refer to "Inugami Mochi" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…四国を中心に，九州の東部，中国地方の西部などに分布するつきものの一種。これらの地域では，犬の霊を神としてまつる家筋(〈犬神筋〉〈犬神持ち〉〈犬神統〉などという)が存在し，その家の者は，自分が好ましくないと思う者に犬神を憑（つ）けて，病気や死に至らしめることができると信じられている。ひとたび犬神をまつると，末代までその家から離れることがなく，しかも縁組を通じて広がると信じられたので，犬神筋との婚姻はきらわれた。…

※「犬神持ち」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報