The "gods of the night-sword" are snake deity in Japanese folklore appearing in the Fudoki.
Properties of the gods
They lived in
Namegata county, in fields near the government office. As a snake, it was an "rough, aggressive kami" which are fierce
kami who represent the ferocious side of nature, such as raging rivers and fierce storms - as well as natural disasters. While such things do bring suffering to people, a properly enshrined and worshipped Araburu Kami would also protect the people from these calamities.
Yato no kami were rumored to bring familial extermination on anyone who saw them.
Legends
It's told that Yato no Kami were killed and enshrined by a man named Yahazu no uji no Matachi during the time when
Emperor Keitai was in reign. The Yato no kami vanished later when a man named Mibunomuroji Maro drove them away from disturbing him and his workers who were building a moat there.
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