Special Position in Ancient Mythology as the 'Grotesque Guiding God'. While the basic description touches on Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto's main myth, this detailed explanation delves into his unique position as a 'grotesque guiding god' in ancient Japanese mythology. His bizarre appearance, with a nose seven ata long and eyes shining like the Yata-no-Kagami, is extremely visual and concrete even among the descriptions of deities in ancient myths^[2], serving as the ultimate religious expression of 'a deity standing at the boundary between the otherworld and this world.' The fact that such a strong contrast between the noble Amaterasu-lineage deities and a grotesque Kunitsukami was placed at the core moment of the Tenson Korin, the central ancient Japanese state myth, can be interpreted as an intentional narrative device by the myth's compilers. Grotesqueness is not just visual oddity; it is the concrete embodiment of universal religious feelings such as protection from the otherworld, crossing boundaries, and reconciling with the heterogeneous.

Prototype of the Tengu ── Development into Shugendo and Mountain Beliefs. Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto's grotesque description (long nose, red face, glowing eyes) is folklorically positioned as the prototype of the later Tengu (shugendo-related mountain yokai)^[3]. The Tengu beliefs of the Heian and medieval periods inherited Sarutahiko's grotesque nature while intricately intertwining with Buddhism, shugendo, and mountain worship to undergo unique development. The hierarchical system of Tengu, such as Daitengu, Karasu Tengu, and Konoha Tengu, can be understood as the medieval refinement of the 'grotesque deity' originating from the ancient Sarutahiko. The relationship between Sarutahiko and the Tengu is a crucial genealogical theory in Japanese yokai studies, serving as core material for examining the continuity between ancient mythology and medieval yokai culture.

Reconciliation and Cooperation between 'Amatsukami and Kunitsukami'. In the political and religious event of the Tenson Korin, where 'Amatsukami (deities of the heavenly realm) descend into the territory of Kunitsukami (deities of the earthly realm),' Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto stands out as a rare Kunitsukami who proactively welcomed the Amatsukami^[1]. In contrast to Okuninushi's yielding of the land, which was a 'forced transfer,' Sarutahiko's guidance occupies the contrasting position of 'voluntary cooperation.' This represents two aspects of religious integration between the center (Amatsukami lineage) and the periphery (Kunitsukami lineage) in ancient Japan. The contrast between forced integration (Okuninushi) and voluntary cooperation (Sarutahiko) reflects the editorial intent of the ancient state myths and the complex multiplicity of ancient Japanese political history.

The Tragedy of the Hirabu-gai ── Vulnerability of the Deity and the Meaning of His End. The ending where Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto drowns after being caught by a hirabu-gai^[1] is a unique tale in ancient mythology that expresses the vulnerability of deities, human contingency, and the unknowability of fate. The ironic conclusion in which the great guiding god receives a fatal wound from a small natural object like a shell mythologizes universal themes in ancient Japan, such as 'confrontation with nature,' 'the limits of heroes,' and 'the unknowability of fate.' Furthermore, the specific circumstance of 'an accidental death while fishing' includes a religious reflection of marine, fishing, and coastal life in ancient Japan, symbolically demonstrating Sarutahiko's essence as a god standing at the boundary of sea and land, the intersection of life and death. The ending of the myth is not merely a tragedy but an advanced symbolic device that narrates the essential attributes of the deity.

The Core of Doso-jin and Crossroads Deity Beliefs ── The Heart of Nationwide Folklore. From the Middle Ages onwards, Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto was widely venerated as the guardian deity of village boundaries, crossroads, mountain passes, and barriers through syncretism with Doso-jin, Funado-no-Kami, and Sae-no-Kami^[3]. The fact that Sarutahiko is positioned at the center of folk religion, such as Doso-jin stone monuments, phallic stones, crossroads Jizo, and Sae-no-Kami festivals distributed nationwide, demonstrates the continuous inheritance from ancient state myths to medieval folk religion. Doso-jin worship is not merely a religious ritual but a folkloric practice that gives meaning to universal anthropological themes of 'boundaries, new beginnings, protection, and harmony' through ancient myths. As a deity supporting the roots of Japanese people's sense of life, movement, and boundaries from ancient times to the present, Sarutahiko possesses a cultural reach that transcends a single deity appearing in a myth.

Association with Koshin Belief ── Popular Religion in the Edo Period. During the Edo period, due to the phonetic association of 'Saru' (monkey) in Sarutahiko, he was linked to the Koshin belief (originating from Chinese Daoism, involving an all-night gathering every 60 days to defeat the Three Corpses), and Koshin towers, Sarutahiko Koshin mounds, and the three wise monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) spread nationwide. This is a representative example of the multilayered fusion of ancient mythology, medieval Doso-jin, early modern Daoism, and Edo popular religion, demonstrating the typical Japanese religious culture of 'syncretism through phonetic association.' The combination of Koshin and Sarutahiko beliefs functioned as a core institution supporting the collective religious life, village society, and nighttime socializing of commoners in the Edo period, leaving traces in the modern landscape of the three wise monkeys and Koshin mounds.

Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto in the 21st Century ── Modern God of Travel, Guidance, and New Beginnings. Today in the 21st century, Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto is widely cherished as the god of 'roads, travel, new beginnings, and guidance,' serving as an object of prayer for new car purchases, traffic safety, starting new businesses, safe travels, and major life milestones. Pilgrimages to Tsubaki Grand Shrine, Sarutahiko Shrine, and Futamiokitama Shrine continue ancient customs, and the religious structure of the ancient myth of 'visiting Amaterasu-Omikami under the guidance of the guiding god' has been inherited to this day. Even in a modern society marked by globalization, informatization, and individualization, the universal theme of 'life's paths, choices, and guidance' continues to impart new modern meanings to the ancient guiding god. As a rare deity whose presence bridges ancient mythology and modern Japanese spiritual culture for over two thousand years, he bears a living inheritance in religion, culture, and tourism in the 21st century.