Okuninushi-no-Okami is a major deity in Japanese mythology, chiefly enshrined at Izumo Taisha, revered as a creator and ruler of the land who worked to build and organize the nation before yielding it to the heavenly deities. He is closely associated with nation-building, medicine, and matchmaking, reflecting mythic episodes in which he formed bonds and alliances with numerous other gods and figures. Because of these traditions, he is popularly petitioned in connection with love, marriage, and relationships, though such benefits are matters of devotional belief rather than verified fact.