This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions. Many of these are from

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shint ...

, while others were imported via

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...

and were "integrated" into

Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto and Buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of ye ...

and

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...

Major kami

* Amaterasu-Ōmikami (), she is the goddess of the sun as well as the purported ancestress of the

Imperial Household of Japan The , also referred to as the Imperial Family or the House of Yamato, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the Emperor i ...

. Her name means "Shines from Heaven" or "the great kami who shine Heaven". For many reasons, one among them being her ties to the Imperial family, she is often considered (though not officially) to be the "primary god" of

. *

Ame-no-Uzume is the goddess of dawn, mirth, meditation, revelry and the arts in the Shinto religion of Japan, and the wife of fellow-god Sarutahiko Ōkami. She famously relates to the tale of the missing sun deity, Amaterasu Omikami. Her name can also be p ...

( or ) Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry in Shinto. * Fūjin () Also known as , he is the Japanese god of the

wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few ...

and one of the eldest Shinto gods, said to have been present at the creation of the world. He is often depicted as an oni with a bag slung over his back. *

Hachiman In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements ...

() is the god of

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

and the divine protector of Japan and its people. Originally an

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

deity, he later became the guardian of the

Minamoto was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...

clan. His symbolic animal and messenger is the

dove Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

. *

Inari Ōkami , also called , is the Japanese ''kami'' of foxes, fertility, rice, tea and sake, of agriculture and industry, of general prosperity and worldly success, and one of the principal kami of Shinto. In earlier Japan, Inari was also the patron of ...

() The god or goddess of

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

and

fertility Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Ferti ...

. Their messengers and symbolic animal are foxes . They are often identified with

Ukanomitama Ukanomitama (宇迦之御魂神 – Mighty Soul of Sustenance - ''Kojiki'') (倉稲魂命 - '' Nihongi'') is a ''kami'' in classical Japanese mythology, associated with food and agriculture, often identified with Inari, the deity of rice. Name ...

and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

deity

Dakiniten A ḍākinī ( sa, डाकिनी; ; mn, хандарма; ; alternatively 荼枳尼, ; 荼吉尼, ; or 吒枳尼, ; Japanese: 荼枳尼 / 吒枳尼 / 荼吉尼, ''dakini'') is a type of female spirit, goddess, or demon in Hinduism and Bu ...

. *

Ninigi-no-Mikoto is a deity in Japanese mythology. Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. The three sacred treasures brought with Ninigi fro ...

() Commonly called Ninigi, he was the grandson of Amaterasu. His great-grandson was Kan'yamato Iwarebiko, later known as

Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the '' Nihon Shoki'' and ''Kojiki''. His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Ōmononushi Ōmononushi ( ja, 大物主神, Ōmononushi-no-Kami; historical orthography: ''Ohomononushi'') is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology associated with Mount Miwa (also known as Mount Mimoro) in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture. He is closely linked in the ...

() in the ''Nihongi'', Ōmononushi was considered an alternate name for

Ōkuninushi Ōkuninushi ( historical orthography: ''Ohokuninushi''), also known as Ō(a)namuchi (''Oho(a)namuchi'') or Ō(a)namochi (''Oho(a)namochi'') among other variants, is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. He is one of the central deities in the cycle ...

. But, it appears that the two were separate kami. *

() A god of nation-building, farming, business, and medicine. * Omoikane () The deity of wisdom and intelligence, who is always called upon to "ponder" and give good counsel in the deliberations of the heavenly deities. *

Raijin , also known as , , , and Kamowakeikazuchi-no-kami is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. He is typically depicted with fierce and aggressive facial expressions, standing atop a cloud, be ...

() is the god of thunder and lightning and is often paired with Fūjin. As with the latter, Raijin is usually depicted as an oni. *

Ryūjin Ryūjin ( 龍神), which in some traditions is equivalent to Ōwatatsumi, was the tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese mythology. In many versions Ryūjin had the ability to transform into a human shape. Many believed the god had knowledge on ...

() Some versions consider him and Ōwatatsumi as the same god, he is a

dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted a ...

, as well as god of the sea. *

Suijin is the Shinto god of water in Japanese mythology. The term Suijin (literally: ''water people'' or ''water deity'') refers to the heavenly and earthly manifestations of the benevolent Shinto divinity of water. It also refers to a wide variety of m ...

() The God of Water. *

Susanoo-no-Mikoto __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (; historical orthography: , ) is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted deity with contradictory charact ...

( or ) is a god of

storms A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...

, as well as the ruler of the sea in some cases. He is also somewhat of a trickster god, as Japanese mythology extensively documents the "

sibling rivalry Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among siblings, whether blood-related or not. Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced ...

" between him and Amaterasu. Susanoo was also responsible for the slaying of the monster

Yamata no Orochi , or simply , is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed Japanese dragon/serpent. Mythology Yamata no Orochi legends are originally recorded in two ancient texts about Japanese mythology and history. The 712 AD transcribes this dragon nam ...

and the subsequent discovery of the sacred sword

Kusanagi is a legendary Japanese sword and one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called , but its name was later changed to the more popular ("Grass-Cutting Sword"). In folklore, the sword represents the virtue of valor. Legend ...

. *

Takemikazuchi is a deity in Japanese mythology, considered a god of thunder and a sword god. He also competed in what is considered the first sumo wrestling match recorded in history. He is otherwise known as "The ''kami'' of Kashima"" (Kashima-no-kami), th ...

, (/) known as a god of thunder and the god of swords. *

Takeminakata Takeminakata (タケミナカタ), also known as Minakatatomi or Takeminakatatomi, is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. Also known as or after Suwa Grand Shrine (Suwa Taisha) in Nagano Prefecture (former Shinano Province) in which he is enshri ...

, () god of wind, water and agriculture, as well as a patron of

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

and

warfare War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regu ...

. *

Tamanoya Tamanoya is a kami from Japanese mythology. He is believed to be the creator of Yasakani no Magatama. Tama-no-iwaya is believed to be the grave for the kami, and he is venerated at Tamanooya-jinja but is not venerated at any kampeisha. Famil ...

, a kami believed to be the creator of Yasakani no Magatama. *

Toyotama-hime or Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess is a goddess in Japanese mythology in the episode of the "Luck of the Sea and the Luck of the Mountain" in the '' Kojiki'' as well as '' Nihon Shoki''. She is the daughter of the sea deity, Watatsumi. Toyotama marries ...

() was the daughter of Ryūjin and the grandmother of Jimmu. It is said that after she gave birth to her son, she turned into a dragon and disappeared. * Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto ( or ) is the god of the moon. He killed

Ukemochi , commonly known as , the daughter of the Shinto deities Izanagi and Izanami, is a goddess of food in the Shinto religion of Japan. In some differing interpretations, Ukemochi is referred to as both male and female. When shown in other forms, Ukemo ...

, out of disgust and anger in the way she had prepared a meal. This caused Amaterasu never to face him again, causing the sun and moon to be in different parts of the sky.

Kamiyonanayo

Izanagi Izanagi (イザナギ/伊邪那岐/伊弉諾) or Izanaki (イザナキ), formally known as , is the creator deity (''kami'') of both creation and life in Japanese mythology. He and his sister-wife Izanami are the last of the seven generations ...

: () was a creation deity; he makes up the seventh generation of the

Kamiyonanayo In Japanese mythology, the are the seven generations of ''kami'' that emerged after the formation of heaven and earth. According to the Kojiki, these deities appeared after the Kotoamatsukami. The first two generations were hitorigami while the ...

, along with his wife and sister, Izanami. Nihongi by Aston djvu 041

Izanami , formally known as , is the creator deity of both creation and death in Japanese mythology, as well as the Shinto mother goddess. She and her brother-husband Izanagi are the last of the seven generations of primordial deities that manifested ...

: () was a creation deity; she makes up the seventh generation of the Kamiyonanayo, along with her husband and brother, Izanagi. * Kuninotokotachi () was a deity classified as a

hitorigami Hitorigami (独神) are Shinto deities (kami) who came into being alone, as opposed to those who came into being as male-female pairs. According to the ''Kojiki'', this group includes the "three deities of creation" and the "separate heavenly kami ...

. He was, by himself, the first generation of the Kamiyonanayo. He was considered one of the first two gods, according to the ''

Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...

'', or one of the first three gods, according to the '' Nihon Shoki''. * Omodaru and Ayakashikone: ( and ) Sixth generation of the Kamiyonanayo. *Otonoji and Otonobe: ( and ) Fifth generation of the Kamiyonanayo. *Toyokumono: () was a hitorigami, and constituted the second generation of the Kamiyonanayo. *Tsunuguhi and Ikuguhi: ( and ) Fourth generation of the Kamiyonanayo. *Uhijini and Suhijini: ( and ) Third generation of the Kamiyonanayo.

Minor kami

Amatsu-Mikaboshi In Japanese mythology, (あまつみかぼし), also called (あめのかがせお), Hoshigami Kaseo (星神香香背男, ほしがみかがせお), Kaseo (香香背男, かがせお), Amenoseo (天背男, あめのせお), or Ame no Murakumo n ...

(), the kami of stars who existed before the

Kotoamatsukami In Shinto, is the collective name for the first gods which came into existence at the time of the creation of the universe. They were born in Takamagahara, the world of Heaven at the time of the creation. Unlike the later gods, these deities were ...

. * Amanozako () * Amatsumara () is the kami of iron-working. *

Ajisukitakahikone Ajisukitakahikone (also Ajishikitakahikone or Ajisukitakahiko) is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. Name The god is referred to both as 'Ajisukitakahikone-no-Kami' (阿遅鉏高日子根神; Old Japanese: ''Adisuki1takapi1ko1ne-no2-Kami2'') and ...

() is a kami of agriculture and thunder. *

Amatsuhikone Amatsuhikone (which means little lad of Heaven) in Japanese mythology is the third son of Amaterasu Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the maj ...

, considered the third son of Amaterasu. *

Ame-no-hohi Ame no Hohi (アメノホヒ, "Heavenly grain sun") is a male deity and the second son of sun goddess Amaterasu in Japanese mythology. Kokusō is said to have originated from Ame no Hohi. He was also said to be the ancestor to Izumo rulers. M ...

(, ) considered the second son of

Amaterasu Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the '' K ...

. *Ame-no-Naemasu (), said to be son of Futsunushi. *

Ame-no-Koyane Ame-no-Koyane-no-mikoto ( 天児屋命, 天児屋根命) is a '' kami'' and a male deity in Japanese mythology and Shinto. He is the ancestral god of the Nakatomi clan, and Fujiwara no Kamatari, the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan. An ' ...

( or ) A male deity, he is considered the "First in Charge of Divine Affairs," as well as the aide to the first

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the ...

. He is also considered to be the ancestor of the Fujiwara family. *

Ame-no-oshihomimi Amenooshihomimi (天之忍穂耳命) or Oshihomimi for short, is the first son of Amaterasu. He is believed to be the ancestor to the Japanese imperial family. Name and Etymology Amenooshihomimi name means (Ruling Rice Ears of Heaven) he al ...

() *

Ame-no-wakahiko Ame no Wakahiko (天若日子, 天稚彦 Heavenly Young Boy) in some versions of Japanese mythology is a god of grains, and the son of Amatsukunitama. Mythology Sent to earth In many versions, when Ame no Hohi did not send word for three ye ...

(, ) God of grains *

Atago Gongen is a Japanese ''kami'' believed to be the local avatar ('' Gongen'') of Buddhist bodhisattva Jizō. The cult originated in Shugendō practices on Mount Atago in Kyoto, and Atago Gongen is worshiped as a protector against fire. There are some ni ...

() * Ame-no-Tajikarao (), in many versions is the kami that pull

out of Amano-Iwato. *

Azumi-no-isora is a shinto kami of the seashore. He is considered to be the ancestor of the Azumi people. He is worshiped at a number of shrines, including of Kitakyushu, Shika no Umi shrine on Shika Island, and of Tsushima. Azumi-no-isora is considered a ...

() is a kami of the seashore. He is considered to be the ancestor of the

Azumi people The were a warrior clan and tribe during the Jōmon period in Japan, whose cultures and beliefs are considered to be one of Japan’s earliest sea religions. Their existence dates back to the early 3rd – 7th centuries, when their extensive kn ...

. * Amenohoakari, () a sun and agriculture god. * Dojin (), is a Japanese god of earth, land, and/or soil. *

Futodama Futodama () is a god in Japanese mythology, claimed to be the ancestor of Imbe clan, whose characteristics are believed to reflect the functions of the clan as court ritualists. Name and etymology The god is known as Ame-no-Futodama-no-Mikoto () ...

() is a kami who performed a divination when Amaterasu hid in a cave. * Futsunushi () Main deity at

Katori Shrine The is a Shintō shrine in the city of Katori in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Shimōsa Province, and is the head shrine of the approximately 400 Katori shrines around the country (located primarily in the Kantō ...

. * Haniyasu no kami, two deities born from Izanami's feces. *

Hoderi , in Japanese mythology and folklore, was a deity of the bounty of the sea and enchanted fisherman. He is called in the '' Kojiki'', and or in the '' Nihon Shoki''. In Japanese mythology, he appears with his younger brother Yamasachi-hiko (Hoo ...

() was a deity of the bounty of the sea and enchanted

fisherman A fisher or fisherman is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishers may be professional or rec ...

. *

Hoori , also known as , is a figure in Japanese mythology, the third and youngest son of and the blossom princess . He is one of the ancestors of the Emperors of Japan as the grandfather of Emperor Jimmu. He is also known as . Mythology Hoori's leg ...

() *

Isetsuhiko Isetsuhiko-no-mikoto (伊勢都彦命 or 伊勢都比古命) is an obscure Japanese god of the wind who appears in both the ''Fudoki'' of Ise Province (surviving only in the form of excerpts found in other writings) and the ''Fudoki'' of Harima P ...

(), is a god of the wind. *

Ishikori-dome no Mikoto is a kami of mirrors in Shinto. She was regarded as an ancestral deity of Kagami zukuri no muraji (The mirror-making clans). In Japanese mythology, she created the exquisite '' Yata-no-kagami'' mirror which lures the sun goddess Amaterasu A ...

(), the god of metalworking. *

Kaya-no-hime , also called , , , or (meaning Moorland Elder), is the Japanese goddess of vegetation, grass, and fields. She is considered protector of fields. She is also considered the ancestor of herbs. She is the daughter of Izanami and Izanagi. She is ...

, the goddess of vegetation, grass and fields. * Kawaya no Kami, kami of the toilet. * Kawa-no-Kami a god of rivers. *

Kagu-tsuchi Kagutsuchi (カグツチ; Old Japanese: ''Kagututi''), also known as Hi-no-Kagutsuchi or Homusubi among other names, is the kami of fire in classical Japanese mythology. Mythology Kagutsuchi's birth burned his mother Izanami, causing her deat ...

(), the kami of fire. * Kanayago-kami/Kanayako-kami (), a ''Kami'' of metal and metal-working, who, as believed by blacksmiths, lives mainly in Chugoku Region. Similar to ''Inari'', Kanayago can be, either, male or female. *

Kisshōten Kisshōten (, lit. "Auspicious Heavens"), also known as Kichijōten, Kisshoutennyo (吉祥天女), Kudokuten (功徳天) is a Japanese female deity, adapted via Buddhism from the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Kisshoutennyo is sometimes named as one o ...

(), goddess of good fortune; also known as ''Kichijōten'', ''Kisshoutennyo'' (), and as ''Kudokuten'' (), ''Kisshōten'' is the ''Shinto'' adaption, via ''Buddhism'', from the ''Hindu'' goddess, ''

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with '' Maya'' ("Illusion"). A ...

''. *

Konjin is an itinerant ''Kami'' (a divine spirit) from Onmyōdō (a traditional Japanese cosmology and system of divination based on the Chinese philosophies of ''Wu Xing'' (Five Elements) and ''Yin and yang''). Konjin is associated with compass directi ...

() * Kotoshironushi () *

Kuebiko is the Shinto ''kami'' ("god; deity") of folk wisdom, knowledge and agriculture, and is represented in Japanese mythology as a scarecrow who cannot walk but has comprehensive awareness. Names ''Kuebiko'' (久延毘古, literally "long stretch h ...

(), the god of knowledge and agriculture, represented in Japanese mythology as a scarecrow who cannot walk but has comprehensive awareness. *

Kuraokami Okami (淤加美神, Okami-no-kami) in the Kojiki, or in the Nihon Shoki: or , is a legendary Japanese dragon and Shinto deity of ice, rain, snow and winter . In Japanese mythology, the sibling progenitors Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the is ...

() is a legendary

Japanese dragon Japanese dragons (, ''Nihon no ryū'') are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and the Indian subcontinent. The ...

and Shinto deity of rain and snow. *

Kushinadahime , also known as or Inadahime among other names, is a goddess (''kami'') in Japanese mythology. She is one of the wives of the god Susanoo, who rescued her from the monster Yamata no Orochi. Name The goddess is named 'Kushinadahime' (櫛名田 ...

Kukurihime no Kami , also , is a Japanese Shinto goddess''Shinto Encyclopedia Volume One'' piece 264 (original 455 pages) Kukurihimenomomikoto　Kikurihime/ref>''Encyclopedia of the World Goddess'' pages 42-43 "Kukurihime Kikurihime" venerated as (also known a ...

(), a goddess enshrined at

Shirayama Hime Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the Sannomiyamachi neighborhood of the city of Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Kaga Province. The main festival of the shrine is held annually on May 6. It is the head shrine of ap ...

. * Kuzuryū, minor water deity. *

Kōjin Kōjin, also known as , is the Japanese ''kami'' (''god'') of fire, the hearth and the kitchen. He is sometimes called Kamado-gami ( 竃神), literally ''the god of the stove''. He represents violent forces that are turned toward the betterment ...

(), is the god of fire, the

hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by at least a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a lo ...

, and the

kitchen A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. A modern middle-class residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running wate ...

. * Kajin (), is a god of fire. *

Kukunochi Kukunochi (久久能智神 – Tree Trunk Elder) is the kami of trees, the kami is also called Ki-no-kami, or Kuku-no-shi. He is the brother of Ōyamatsumi, Shimatsuhiko, and Watatsumi. It is possible Kukunochi was originally a tama that dwelled ...

, believed to be the ancestor of trees. * Mitsuhanome, water kami. *

Moreya Moreya or Moriya (洩矢神, ''Moriya- / Moreya-no-Kami'') is a Japanese god who appears in various myths and legends of the Suwa region in Nagano Prefecture (historical Shinano Province). The most famous of such stories is that of his battle aga ...

() *

Nakisawame is a female ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. During the myth of the Birth of the Gods, in which the goddess Izanami died after giving birth to the fire deity Kagu-tsuchi, Izanagi clung to his wife's dead body and cried. From his tears, Nakisawa ...

, kami born from Izanagi's tear after his wife's death. *

Nesaku Nesaku (根折神 – Root Splitter) is kami in Japanese mythology. In many versions he is from the blood of Kagutsuchi. He is a minor star god. Nesaku and his brother Iwasaku are often worshipped in star shrines in northern Kanto Kantō (J ...

, a star god. * Nigihayahi-no-mikoto () * Oshirasama () *

Shinatsuhiko Shinatsuhiko ( Kojiki: 志那都比古神 - Long Blowing Lad, Nihon Shoki: 級長津彦命) is a Japanese mythological god of wind (Fūjin). Another name for this deity is Shinatobe, who originally may have been a separate goddess of wind. The N ...

, a kami of wind. * Sukuna-Biko-Na () A small deity of medicine and rain, who created and solidified the land with

. *

Sumiyoshi sanjin is the generic name for the three Shinto gods ''Sokotsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (底筒男命), ''Nakatsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (中筒男命), and ''Uwatsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (表筒男命). The Sumiyoshi sanjin are regarded as the gods of the sea and ...

, the gods of the sea and sailing. *

Sarutahiko Ōkami Sarutahiko Ōkami ( ja, 猿田毘古大神, 猿田彦大神) is a deity of the Japanese religion of Shinto; he is the leader of the earthly '' kami''. Norito also mentions him with the title instead of . Sarutahiko Ōkami was the head of the ...

(), a kami of the Earth that guided Ninigi to the Japanese islands. * Seidai Myōjin, god of sports, enshrined at

Shiramine Shrine is a role-playing video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and published by Konami exclusively for the PlayStation 2 video game console and is the fourth installment of the '' Suikoden'' video game series. It was released in ...

in Kyoto, especially worshipped for

kemari is an athletic game that was popular in Japan during the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura period (1185–1333). It resembles a game of football or hacky sack. The game was popular in Kyoto, the capital, and the surrounding Kinki ( Kansai ...

and

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

. *

Tajimamori is a Japanese legendary figure of the Kofun period, also worshipped as the god of sweets. His name is written in kanji as 多遅麻毛理 in the ''Kojiki'', and as 田道間守 in the '' Nihon Shoki''. Legendary narrative Tajimamori's ancestr ...

(), god who obtained the ''tokijiku no kagu no mi'' in ''Tokoyo-no-kuni'', and hailed as "god of

wagashi are traditional Japanese confections that are often served with green tea, especially the types made of ''mochi'', ''anko'' ( azuki bean paste), and fruit. ''Wagashi'' are typically made from plant-based ingredients. History In Japan, the wo ...

" (sweets, confections). * Tamayori-hime, mother of

autumn Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( ...

. *

Ta-no-Kami is a kami who is believed to observe the harvest of rice plants or to bring a good harvest, by Japanese farmers. ''Ta'' in Japanese means "rice fields". Ta-no-Kami is also called Noushin (kami of agriculture) or kami of peasants. Ta-no-Kami shar ...

(), is a

kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

who is believed to observe the harvest of rice plants or to bring a good harvest, by Japanese farmers. * Toyouke-Ōmikami, goddess of food. She is also the daughter of Wakumusubi. * Torento-no-kami, Deity of support and gratitude. *

Ugajin is harvest and fertility ''kami'' of Japanese Mythology.Watsky, Andrew Mark. (2004). Ugajin is represented both as a male and a female, and is often depicted with the body of a snake and the head of a bearded man, for the masculine variant, or ...

, a harvest and fertility kami represented with the body of a snake and head of a man or woman. They may be derived from

. *

Ugayafukiaezu is a Shinto ''kami'', and is in Japanese mythology, the father of Japan's first Emperor, Emperor Jimmu. Nomenclature and story In the ''Kojiki'', his name appears as , and in the '' Nihon Shoki'' as . Basil Hall Chamberlain glossed the ''Kojik ...

, the father of Japan's first emperor. *

, a kami associated with food and agriculture. *

(), is considered a goddess of food. After she disgorged food from her body she had been killed by a disgusted Tsukuyomi or Susanoo. *

Watatsumi , also pronounced Wadatsumi, is a legendary ''kami'' (神, god; deity; spirit), Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity in Japanese mythology. is believed to be another name for the sea deity Ryūjin (龍神, Dragon God) and also for the , wh ...

some versions is considered the same god as Ryujin. * Wakumusubi, a kami of agriculture. *

Wakahiru-me Wakahirume is a goddess of the rising sun in Japanese mythology. She is the daughter or younger sister of Amaterasu. Some interpretations view her as the personification of the morning sun. She was involved in making garments for the kami. In som ...

, a kami of the rising sun, considered the daughter or younger sister of

Yama-no-Kami

Konohanasakuya-hime Konohanasakuya-hime is the goddess of Mount Fuji and all volcanoes in Japanese mythology; she is also the blossom-princess and symbol of delicate earthly life. She is often considered an avatar of Japanese life, especially since her symbol is ...

(), the wife of

Ninigi is a deity in Japanese mythology. Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. The three sacred treasures brought with Ninigi from ...

and daughter of

Ōyamatsumi Ōyama-tsumi or Ohoyama-tsumi (Kojiki: 大山津見神 or Nihon Shoki: 大山祇神, 大山積神, 大山罪神; Ōyama-tsumi-mi'oya-no-mikoto 大山祇御祖命) is a god of mountains, sea, and war in Japanese mythology. He is an elder brother o ...

, and great-grandmother of Jimmu. She is also known as the goddess of

Mount Fuji , or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest ...

. *

(), an elder brother of Amaterasu, and an important god who rules mountain. Also, the father of

Kotoamatsukami

Amenominakanushi Ame-no-Minakanushi (アメノミナカヌシ, lit. "Lord of the August Center of Heaven") is a deity (''kami'') in Japanese mythology, portrayed in the ''Kojiki'' and the '' Nihon Shoki'' as the very first or one of the first deities who manifes ...

() - Central Master *

Takamimusubi Takamimusubi (高御産巣日神, lit. "High Creator") is a god of agriculture in Japanese mythology, who was the second of the first beings to come into existence. It is speculated that Takamimusubi was originally the tutelary deity for the J ...

() - High Creator *

Kamimusubi Kamimusubi (神産巣日), also known as Kamimusuhi among other variants, is a ''kami'' and god of creation in Japanese mythology. They are a ''hitorigami,'' and the third of the first three ''kami'' to come into existence (''K ...

() - Divine Creator * Umashi'ashikabihikoji () - Energy * Amenotokotachi () - Heaven

People worshipped as kami

''This section includes historical people worshipped as kami.'' * Shōtoku Taishi was sometimes worshipped by Shintoists in ''Prince's Hall'' ( Taishido) as the Kami of building trade and easy birth, like in the Hokai-ji of

Kamakura is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kamakura has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 persons per km² over the total area of . Kamakura was designated as a city on 3 November 1939. Kamak ...

. *

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fello ...

() enshrined at

Nikkō Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in t ...

and similar shrines. *

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...

() enshrined at Toyokuni-jinja. * Tenjin () The god of scholarship, he is the deified

Sugawara no Michizane was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in Kanshi poetry, and is today revered in Shinto as the god of learning, . In the poem anthology '' Hyakunin Isshu'', he is know ...

. Subsequent disasters in Heiankyo were attributed to his angered spirit. *

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...

() enshrined at

Kenkun-jinja also known as Takeisao Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in the city of Kyoto, Japan. One of the four shrines that protect Kyoto, it protects Kyoto from the North and Oda Nobunaga, a ''daimyō'' and key figure in the unification of Japan during the late ...

. *

Emperor Meiji , also called or , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 13 February 1867 to his death, he was the first monarch of the Empire of Japan and presided over the Meiji era. He was the figur ...

(), and

Empress Shōken , born , was the wife and adviser of Emperor Meiji of Japan. She is also known under the technically more correct name . She was one of the founders of the Japanese Red Cross Society, whose charity work was known throughout the First Sino-Japanese ...

(). Enshrined at

Meiji Shrine , is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto. History A ...

. ''All Emperors and Empresses of Japan are technically worshipped because of their descent from

Amaterasu Ōmikami Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the Solar deity, goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major Kami, deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary ...

, but there are many esteemed and highly revered ones who are not enshrined.''

Buddhism

Aizen Myō-ō Aizen may refer to: * Aizen Myō-ō (愛染明王), a popular deity in Japanese Buddhism. * Sōsuke Aizen is a fictional character from the manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo and the main villain of the first half of the series (and t ...

(), a

Wisdom King A Wisdom King (Sanskrit: विद्याराज; IAST: ''Vidyārāja'', ) is a type of wrathful deity in East Asian Buddhism. Whereas the Sanskrit name is translated literally as "wisdom / knowledge king(s)," the term '' vidyā'' in Vajraya ...

known to transform earthly desires (love/lust) into spiritual awakening. *

Amida Nyorai Amida can mean : Places and jurisdictions * Amida (Mesopotamia), now Diyarbakır, an ancient city in Asian Turkey; it is (nominal) seat of : ** The Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Amida ** The Latin titular Metropolitan see of Amida of the Roma ...

( or ), commonly referred to as Amida-butsu (), he is the primary

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

of the

Pure Land A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). The ...

school of

. He is believed to possess infinite meritorious qualities and is known as the "Lord of the Beyond and the Afterlife." He is one of the

Five Dhyani Buddhas 5 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 5, five or number 5 may also refer to: * AD 5, the fifth year of the AD era * 5 BC, the fifth year before the AD era Literature * ''5'' (visual novel), a 2008 visual novel by Ram * ''5'' (comics), an awa ...

. * Daruma (), traditionally held in

Buddhist mythology The Buddhist traditions have created and maintained a vast body of mythological literature. The central myth of Buddhism is the life of the Buddha. This is told in relatively realistic terms in the earliest texts, and was soon elaborated into ...

to be the founder of

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

Buddhism, as well as the founder of

Shaolin Kung Fu Shaolin Kung Fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Ch'an philosophy and martial arts and originated and was developed ...

. One legend reports that after years of facing a wall in meditation, Bodhidharma's legs and arms fall off due to

atrophy Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations (which can destroy the gene to build up the organ), poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply ...

Daruma doll A is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen tradition of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Bodhidharma), vary greatly in color and design depending o ...

s were created in honor of this legend. *

Fudō Myōō or Achala ( sa, अचल, "The Immovable", ), also known as (, "Immovable Lord") or (, "Noble Immovable Lord"), is a wrathful deity and ''dharmapala'' (protector of the Dharma) prominent in Vajrayana Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism., Jp. re ...

(), a fierce and wrathful

who protects all by burning away impediments and defilements, and aiding them towards enlightenment. *

Idaten Skanda (Chinese:塞建陀, 室建陀), also known as Wei Tuo (Chinese: 韋馱) and Idaten (Japanese: 韋駄天) is a Mahayana bodhisattva regarded as a devoted guardian of Buddhist monasteries who protects the teachings of Buddhism. He is also ...

(), guardian of Buddhist monasteries and monks. * Jizō (), a

Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

known as the protector of the vulnerable, especially children, travelers, and expectant mothers. He is also regarded as the patron deity of deceased children and aborted fetuses and the savior of hell-beings. His statues are a common sight, especially by roadsides and in graveyards. *

Kangiten Kangiten or Kankiten ( ja, 歓喜天, "god of bliss"; Sanskrit (IAST): ), also known as Binayaka (毘那夜迦; Skt. ), Ganabachi (誐那鉢底, alternatively Ganahachi or Ganahattei; Skt. ), or more commonly, Shōten or Shōden (聖天, lit. " ...

, god (''

deva Deva may refer to: Entertainment * ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film * ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film * ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film * Deva (2007 Telugu film) * ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film * Deva ...

'') of bliss. *

Kannon Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She w ...

(), a

associated with compassion. Commonly known in English as the "Goddess of Mercy." *

Yakushi Nyorai Bhaiṣajyaguru ( sa, भैषज्यगुरु, zh, t= , ja, 薬師仏, ko, 약사불, bo, སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja ("Medicine Master ...

(), a

known for healing and medicine.

Seven Lucky Gods

The are: *

Benzaiten Benzaiten (''shinjitai'': 弁才天 or 弁財天; ''kyūjitai'': 辯才天, 辨才天, or 辨財天, lit. "goddess of eloquence"), also simply known as Benten (''shinjitai'': 弁天; ''kyūjitai'': 辯天 / 辨天), is a Japanese Buddhist go ...

( or ) Also known as Benten or Benzaitennyo, she is the goddess of everything that flows: words (and knowledge, by extension), speech, eloquence, and music. Said to be the third daughter of the dragon-king of Munetsuchi, over the course of years, she has gone from being a protective deity of Japan to one who bestows good fortune upon the state and its people. She was derived from

Saraswati Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a g ...

, the equivalent Hindu goddess. * Bishamonten () Also called Bishamon or Tamonten, he is the god of fortunate

warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

s and guards, as well as the punisher of

criminal In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...

s. Said to live halfway down the side of

Mount Sumeru Mount Meru (Sanskrit/Pali: मेरु), also known as Sumeru, Sineru or Mahāmeru, is the Sacred mountain, sacred five-peaked mountain of Hindu cosmology, Hindu, Jain cosmology, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology and is considered to be the cen ...

, the small

pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...

he carries symbolizes the divine treasure house that he both guards and gives away its contents. Bishamonten is the Japanese equivalent of the Indian

Kubera Kubera ( sa, कुबेर, translit=Kuberā) also known as Kuvera, Kuber and Kuberan, is the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yakshas in Hinduism. He is regarded as the regent of the north (''Dikpala''), and a protecto ...

and the Buddhist Vaishravana. *

Daikokuten Daikokuten ( 大黒天) is a syncretic Japanese deity of fortune and wealth. Daikokuten originated from Mahākāla, the buddhist version of the Hindu deity Shiva, conflated with the native Shinto god Ōkuninushi. Overview Mahākāla in East As ...

() Often shortened to simply Daikoku, he is variously considered to be the god of

wealth Wealth is the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating Old English word , which is from an I ...

(more specifically, the

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...

), or of the

household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is i ...

(particularly the kitchen). He is recognized by his wide face, smile, and flat black hat. He is often portrayed holding a golden

mallet A mallet is a tool used for imparting force on another object, often made of rubber or sometimes wood, that is smaller than a maul or beetle, and usually has a relatively large head. The term is descriptive of the overall size and propor ...

, seated on bales of

, with

mice A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus'' ...

nearby (which signify plentiful food). * Ebisu (, , or ) The sole member of the gods believed to have originated in Japan, he was originally known as Hiruko (), the first child of Izanagi and Izanami. Said to be born without bones, he eventually overcame his handicaps to become the mirthful and auspicious Ebisu (hence one of his titles, "The Laughing God"). He is often depicted holding a rod and a large

red sea bream Red seabream is a name given to at least two species of fish of the family Sparidae, ''Pagrus major'' and ''Pagellus bogaraveo''. ''Pagrus major'' ''Pagrus major'' is of great culinary and cultural importance in Japan, and is known as mada ...

sea bass Sea bass is a common name for a variety of different species of marine fish. Many fish species of various families have been called sea bass. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the fish sold and consumed as sea bass is exclusively the European ...

Jellyfish Jellyfish and sea jellies are the informal common names given to the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbre ...

are also associated with this god, and the

fugu The fugu (; ; ) in Japanese, ''bogeo'' (; 鰒魚) or ''bok'' () in Korean, and ''hétún'' (河豚; 河魨) in Standard Modern Chinese is a pufferfish, normally of the genus '' Takifugu'', '' Lagocephalus'', or '' Sphoeroides'', or a porcupi ...

restaurants of Japan will often incorporate Yebisu in their motif. *

Fukurokuju In Japan, Fukurokuju (; from Japanese ''fuku'', "happiness"; ''roku'', "wealth"; and ''ju'', "longevity") is one of the Seven Lucky Gods in Japanese mythology. It has been theorized that he is a Japanese assimilation of the Chinese Three Sta ...

() Often confused with Jurōjin, he is the god of

wisdom Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledg ...

and

longevity The word " longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for " life expectancy" in demography. However, the term ''longevity'' is sometimes meant to refer only to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is always ...

and said to be an incarnation of the Southern Polestar. He is a star god accompanied by a crane and a

turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked t ...

, which are considered to be symbols of longevity, and also sometimes accompanied by a black

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

. The sacred book tied to his staff is said to contain the lifespan of every person on Earth. * Hotei () Best known in the Western world as the Laughing Buddha, Hotei is likely the most popular of the gods. His image graces many

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

s and

amulet An amulet, also known as a good luck charm or phylactery, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin word amuletum, which Pliny's ''Natural History'' describes as "an object that protect ...

s. Originally based on a Chinese

Chan Chan may refer to: Places *Chan (commune), Cambodia * Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada People *Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田) *Chan Caldw ...

monk, Hotei has become a deity of

contentment Contentment is an emotional state of satisfaction that can be seen as a mental state drawn from being at ease in one's situation, body and mind. Colloquially speaking, contentment could be a state of having accepted one's situation and is a m ...

and abundance. * Jurōjin () Also known as Gama, he represents

. He is often seen with a fan and a staff and accompanied by a black deer. The goddess Kichijōten (), also known as Kisshoutennyo, is sometimes considered to be one of the seven gods, replacing either Jurōjin or

. She embodies

happiness Happiness, in the context of mental or emotional states, is positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Other forms include life satisfaction, well-being, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia. ...

and

beauty Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes these objects pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, together with art and taste, is the main subject of aesthetics, o ...

. Daikoku sometimes manifests as a female known as Daikokunyo () or Daikokutennyo (). When Kisshoutennyo is counted among the seven Fukujin and Daikoku is regarded in feminine form, all three of the Hindu

Tridevi The Tridevi () are a trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, joining a triad of eminent goddesses either as a feminine version of the Trimurti, or as consorts of a masculine Trimurti, depending on the denomination. This triad is typically pe ...

goddesses are represented in the Fukujin.

References

External links

Glossary(kana) – Encyclopedia of Shinto
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Japanese Deities

Deities A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greater ...

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

Major kami

Kamiyonanayo

Minor kami

Yama-no-Kami

Kotoamatsukami

People worshipped as kami

Buddhism

Seven Lucky Gods

See also

References

External links