Birth god - Ubugami

Japanese: 産神 - うぶがみ

〘Noun〙 (also "Ubukami")① A god believed to watch over pregnant women and newborns before and after childbirth. A god believed to be effective in pregnancy and safe childbirth. Also, the guardian deity of the land where one was born. There are various cases, such as famous large shrines, village guardian deities, and small shrines. Ubu no Kami. Uno Kami. Ubusunagami. ※Jūrin-in Naifuki - Bunmei 17 (1485), May 9th "Early morning visit _to Imamiya Ryosho. A god for the _rest of his life." ※Tohi Mondō (1739), 4 "I visited the main shrine, but did not visit Ubugami (birth god) ."② A god believed to be present at the birth and watch over it. In the Tohoku region, there is a strong belief that this god is the mountain god, and it is said that birth cannot take place unless the mountain god comes, and there is also a widespread legend that he sits on the slats of a shoji screen or on a chest. There is also a widespread belief that she is a broom god, and a broom is used at birth. Ubu no Kami (born baby god). (Nippo Jisho (1603-04)) 3. The name of the soul that should be placed in a baby. Since a newborn baby was thought of as just a lump of flesh, it was thought that it was necessary to assign a soul symbolized by a pebble or other object to encourage its growth.

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙 (「うぶかみ」とも)① 出産の前後を通じて、妊婦や生児を見守ってくれると信仰される神。妊娠や安産に効があると信じられている神。また、生まれた土地の守護神。著名な大社、村の鎮守、小祠など種々の場合がある。うぶのかみ。うのかみ。うぶすながみ。※十輪院内府記‐文明一七年（1485）五月九日「早旦参_二詣今宮旅所_一。余生神也」※都鄙問答（1739）四「国本へ参り候所、産神(ウブガミ)へはまいり申さず候」② 出産の場に立会い、見守ってくれると信じられている神。東北地方では山の神をこの神だとする信仰が強く、山の神が来ないとお産ができないなどといい、また、障子の桟や長持の上に腰かけているという伝承も広くある。あるいは箒神だとする信仰も広く、出産のさいに箒を立てたりする。うぶのかみ。〔日葡辞書（1603‐04）〕③ 赤子に入れるべき霊魂の称。生まれたばかりの赤子は、単なる肉塊と考えられていたので、そこに小石などに象徴された霊魂をあてがい、成育をうながす必要があると考えられた。

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