Rice farmers believed that the Yamanokami descended from the mountain to villages or houses to become Tanokami and watch over farmers working in the fields in spring when rice cultivation starts, and helped rice to grow, bringing about a good harvest.
いっぽう、稲作農耕民の間には山の神が春の稲作開始時期になると家や里へ下って田の神となり、田仕事にたずさわる農民の作業を見守り、稲作の順調な推移を助けて豊作をもたらすとする信仰があった。