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

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

, while others were imported via

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

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 traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of years of contac ...

and

folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

Kotoamatsukami

Amenominakanushi Ame-no-Minakanushi (天之御中主, lit. "Heavenly Ancestral God of the Originating Heart of the Universe") is a deity (''kami'') in Japanese mythology, portrayed in the ''Kojiki'' and the ''Nihon Shoki'' as the first or one of the first deitie ...

() – Central Master *

Takamimusubi Takamimusubi (高御産巣日, lit. "High Generative Force") is a Creator deity, creation deity in Japanese mythology, who was the second of the Kotoamatsukami, first beings to come into existence. It is speculated that Takamimusubi was origin ...

() – High Creator *

Kamimusubi Kamimusubi (神産巣日, lit. "Spirit Generative Force"), 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 ...

() – Divine Creator * Umashi'ashikabihikoji () – Energy/Chaos * Amenotokotachi () – Heaven

Kamiyonanayo

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

: () 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, which appeared at the time of the creation of the un ...

, along with his wife and sister, Izanami. *

Izanami , formally referred to with the honorific , 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 ...

: () 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. He was, by himself, the first generation of the Kamiyonanayo. He was considered one of the first two gods, according to the , or one of the first three gods, according to the ''Nihongi''. * 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.

Major kami

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

Imperial Household of Japan The is the reigning dynasty of Japan, consisting of 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 is "the symbol of the State ...

. 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 goddess, dawn, mirth, meditation, revelry and the arts in the Shinto religion of Japan, and the wife of fellow-god Sarutahiko Ōkami. (-no-Mikoto is a common honorific appended to the names of Japanese gods; it may be unde ...

( or ) Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry in Shinto. *

Fūjin or , sometimes also known as Ryobu, is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto and Buddhist gods. He is portrayed as a terrifying wizardly demon, resembling a red-haired, green-skinned humanoid wearing a tiger or leopard skin ...

() Also known as , he is the Japanese god of the

wind Wind is the natural movement of atmosphere of Earth, air or other gases relative to a planetary surface, planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heatin ...

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 An ( ) is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains or in hell. Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like th ...

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 f ...

() is the god of

war War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...

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

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

deity, he later became the guardian of the

Minamoto was a noble surname 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 since 814."...the Minamoto (1192-1333)". ''Warrior Rule in Jap ...

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 small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...

. *

Inari Ōkami , also called , is the Japanese ''kami'' of Red fox, foxes, Fertility (soil), fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture and Industrial sector, industry, and general prosperity and worldly success, and is one of the principal kami of Shinto. The nam ...

() The god or goddess of

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

and

fertility Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate ...

. Their messengers and symbolic animal are

fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

es. 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 an ...

and

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

deity Dakiniten. *

Ninigi-no-Mikoto is a deity in Japanese mythology. (-no-Mikoto here is an honorific title applied to the names of Japanese gods; Ninigi is the specific god's name.) Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the ...

() 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 and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Ōkuninushi Ōkuninushi (; historical orthography: , ), 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 of myths re ...

() 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. *

Ōmononushi Ōmononushi (; Historical kana orthography, historical orthography: ''Ohomononushi'') is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology associated with Mount Miwa (also known as Mount Mimoro) in Sakurai, Nara, Sakurai, Nara Prefecture. He is closely linked in ...

() in the ''

Nihongi The or , sometimes translated as ''The Chronicles of Japan'', is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the , the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeol ...

'', Ōmononushi was considered an alternate name for

Ōkuninushi Ōkuninushi (; historical orthography: , ), 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 of myths re ...

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

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

() 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 o ...

() Some traditions consider him and Ōwatatsumi as the same god. He is a

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

, as well as god of the sea. *

Suijin is a general name for the god of water in Japanese mythology. The term refers to the heavenly and earthly manifestations of the benevolent Shinto divinity of water (mainly freshwater), as well as to a wide variety of mythical and magical creature ...

() The god of water. *

Susanoo-no-Mikoto __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (, ; Historical kana orthography, historical orthography: , ), often referred to by the honorific title Susanoo-no-Mikoto (), is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical an ...

( 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. In childhood, siblings generally spend more time together than they do with parents. Sibling bonds are influenced by factors such as parental ...

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

Yamata no Orochi Yamata no Orochi (ヤマタノオロチ, also written as 八岐大蛇, 八俣遠呂智 or 八俣遠呂知) is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed serpent that appears in Japanese mythology. Both the ''Kojiki'' and ''Nihon Shoki'' record the ...

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. Legends ...

. *

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), the ...

, (/) 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-taisha, Suwa Grand Shrine (Suwa Taisha) in Nagano Prefecture in which he is enshrined alongside ...

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

hunting Hunting is the Human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/hide (sk ...

and

warfare War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of State (polity), states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or betwe ...

. * Toyotama-hime () was the daughter of Ryūjin and the grandmother of Emperor Jimmu. It is said that after she gave birth to her son, she turned into a dragon and disappeared. *

Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto , or simply or , is the moon kami in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words and . The ''Nihon Shoki'' mentions this name spelled as , but this ''yumi'' is likely a variation ...

( 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. *

Yatagarasu is a mythical crowThe Book of Ancient Matters, The Book of Ancient Matters, Gakken, pp. 130, 138, 139. and guiding Kami, god in Shinto mythology. He is generally known for his three-legged figure, and his picture has been handed down since an ...

() is an incarnation of the sun and the guide of

Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Ajisukitakahikone Ajisukitakahikone (also Ajishikitakahikone or Ajisukitakahiko) is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. He is one of the sons of Ōkuninushi and the tutelary deity of Kamo. Name The god is referred to both as 'Ajisukitakahikone-no-Kami' (阿遅鉏 ...

() is a kami of agriculture and thunder. * Amanozako () * Amatsuhikone, considered the third son of Amaterasu. * Amatsumara (), the kami of iron-working. * Amatsu-Mikaboshi (), 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 we ...

. *

Amenohoakari is a ''kami'' of sun and agriculture in Japanese mythology. The ''Shinsen Shōjiroku'' marks his descendents as . Name Other names for Amenohoakari are listed below. * Amaterukuniteruhikoamenohoakarikushitamanigihayahi-no-mikoto (天照国� ...

, () a sun and agriculture god. * Ame-no-hohi (, ) considered the second son of

Amaterasu , often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...

. *

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 '' Ama ...

( 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 hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

. He is also considered to be the ancestor of the

Fujiwara family The was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

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

Ame-no-oshihomimi Amenooshihomimi (天忍穗耳尊,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 ...

() *

Ame-no-Tajikarao is a Japanese deity (kami) of physical strength who appears in Japanese mythology. Ame-no-tajikarao is written as 天手力男神 in ''Kojiki'', and 天手力雄神 in ''Nihon Shoki''. Tajikarao's name means heaven hand power. Another name is ...

(), in some traditions, is the kami that pulls

out of

Ama-no-Iwato is a cave in Japanese mythology. According to the ''Kojiki'' (''Records of Ancient Matters'') and the ''Nihon Shoki'', the bad behavior of Susano'o, the Japanese god of storms, drove his sister Amaterasu into the Ama-no-Iwato cave. The land w ...

. *

Ame-no-wakahiko Ame no Wakahiko (天稚彦 or 天若日子) is a god of grains and ''Amatsukami'' in Japanese mythology. He is the son of Amatsukunitama. The ', one of the ''Otogi-zōshi'', is a ''monogatari'' about him. Name The name Ame no Wakahiko means "a y ...

(, ) God of grains. *

Atago Gongen also known as Tarōbō (太郎坊), Atago Daigongen (愛宕大権現), Shōgun Jizō (勝軍地蔵) of Mount Atago is a Japanese ''kami'' and tengu believed to be the local avatar ('' Gongen'') of Buddhist bodhisattva Jizō and Shinto ...

() *

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

Futodama Futodama () or Futotama is a god in Japanese mythology, claimed to be the ancestor of Inbe 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- ...

() 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 (Hoori ...

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

fisherman A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million Commercial fishing, commercial and Artisan fishing, subsistence fishers and Fish farming, fi ...

. *

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 legen ...

() * Isetsuhiko (), a god of the wind. * Ishikori-dome no Mikoto (), the god of metalworking. *

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 death. ...

(), the kami of fire. * Kajin (), is a god of fire. * Kanayago-kami/Kanayako-kami (), a ''Kami'' of metal and metalworking, who, as believed by blacksmiths, lives mainly in the

Chūgoku Region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...

. Similar to ''Inari'', Kanayago can be either male or female. * Kawaya no Kami, kami of the toilet. * Kawa-no-Kami, a god of rivers. *

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. *

Kisshōten , and are among the Japanese names of Sri, a Hindu/Buddhist goddess or . She is sometimes named as one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, replacing either Jurōjin or Fukurokuju. For example, in the 1783 edition of the Butsuzōzui compendium ...

(), 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, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...

''. *

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 a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a low, partial ...

, and the

kitchen A kitchen is a room (architecture), 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 Kitchen stove, stove, a sink ...

. * Konjin () * Kotoshironushi () * Kuebiko (), the god of knowledge and agriculture, represented in Japanese mythology as a scarecrow who cannot walk but has comprehensive awareness. * Kukunochi, believed to be the ancestor of trees. * Kukurihime no Kami (), 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 ...

. * Kuraokami () 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 (稲田姫、いなだひめ) among other names, is a goddess (''kami'') in Japanese mythology and the Shinto faith. According to these traditions, she is one of the wives of the god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Susanoo, who ...

* Kuzuryū, minor water deity. * Mizuhanome, water kami. *

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

() * Nakisawame, kami born from Izanagi's tears after his wife's death. * Nesaku, a star god. * Oshirasama () *

Sarutahiko Ōkami 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 kunitsukami and in the Jinnō Shōtōki is said to have been t ...

(), a kami of the Earth that guided Ninigi to the Japanese islands. * Seidai Myōjin, god of sports, enshrined at Shiramine Jingū 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 keepie uppie or hacky sack. The game was popular in Kyoto, the capital, and the surrounding Kinki (Kansai reg ...

and

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

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

. * Sumiyoshi sanjin, the gods of the sea and sailing. *

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 is traditional Japanese confectionery, typically made using plant-based ingredients and with an emphasis on seasonality. ''Wagashi'' generally makes use of cooking methods that pre-date Western influence in Japan. It is often served with green ...

" (sweets, confections). * Tamanoya-no-Mikoto, a kami believed to be the creator of

Yasakani no Magatama are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Jōmon period, Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as jewels, were made of stone and e ...

. * Takitsuhiko a kami believed to bring forth rain. * Tamayori-hime, mother of

Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"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 Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...

who is believed to observe the harvest of rice plants or to bring a good harvest, by Japanese farmers. * Tatsuta-hime and Tatsuta-hiko, pair of wind kami who bring forth

autumn Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), 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 ( Southern Hemisphe ...

. * Nigihayahi-no-mikoto () *

Toyouke-Ōmikami Toyouke-hime is the goddess of agriculture, industry, food, clothing, and houses in the Shinto religion. Originally enshrined in the Tanba region of Japan, she was called to reside at Gekū, Ise Shrine, about 1,500 years ago at the age of Emper ...

, goddess of food. She is also the daughter of Wakumusubi. * Tsugenoinagi, a kami of ice. *

Ugajin is a 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, ...

, 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 ''Kojiki ...

, the father of Japan's first emperor. *

, a kami associated with food and agriculture. *

(), is considered a goddess of food. After she vomited out various types of food, she was killed by a disgusted Tsukuyomi or Susanoo. *

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

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

. * Wakumusubi, a kami of agriculture. *

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 , ...

is considered by some traditions to be the same god as Ryujin.

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 th ...

(), the wife of

Ninigi is a deity in Japanese mythology. (-no-Mikoto here is an honorific title applied to the names of Japanese gods; Ninigi is the specific god's name.) Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the ...

and daughter of

Ōyamatsumi __FORCETOC__ Ōyama-tsumi or Ohoyama-tsumi (Kojiki: or Nihon Shoki: , , ), also Ōyama-tsumi-mi'oya-no-mikoto (), is a god of mountains, sea, and war in Japanese mythology. He is an elder brother of Amaterasu and Susanoo. His other names are Wat ...

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

Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano located on the Japanese island of Honshu, with a summit elevation of . It is the highest mountain in Japan, the second-highest volcano on any Asian island (after Mount Kerinci on the Indonesian island of Sumatra), a ...

. * Omonoimi no Kami ( 大物忌神), god of

Mount Chōkai is an active volcano located on the border of Akita and Yamagata in the Tōhoku region of Japan, and is tall. Because of its (roughly) symmetrical shape and massive size, it is also variously known as , or depending on the location of the vi ...

, worshipped at

Chōkaisan Ōmonoimi Shrine Chōkaisan Ōmonoimi Shrine (), also known as Chokaisan Ōmonoimi-jinja, is a Shinto shrine on Mount Chokai in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. The shrine has three parts on different parts of the mountain: Fukura-kuchinomiya and Warabioka-kuchinomiya ...

, identified with

Toyouke-hime Toyouke-hime is the goddess of agriculture, industry, food, clothing, and houses in the Shinto religion. Originally enshrined in the Tanba region of Japan, she was called to reside at Gekū, Ise Shrine, about 1,500 years ago at the age of Empe ...

(), an elder brother of Amaterasu, and an important god of mountains. Also the father of

People worshipped as kami

''This section includes historical people worshipped as kami.'' *

Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Kashihara Shrine. *

Emperor Meiji , posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...

(), and

Empress Shōken , who adopted the imperial given name in 1867 and was posthumously honoured as , was the wife of Emperor Meiji of Japan. She was one of the founders of the Japanese Red Cross Society, whose charity work was known throughout the First Sino-Japa ...

(). 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-ku, Kyoto#Sights, Fushimi-momoyama, south ...

. *

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...

() enshrined at Kenkun-jinja. *

Shōtoku Taishi Shōtoku may refer to: * Prince Shōtoku , also known as or , was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was the son of Emperor Yōmei and his consort, Princess Anahobe no Has ...

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 , officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...

. * Tenjin () The god of scholarship, he is the deified

Sugawara no Michizane , or , was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian period of Japan. He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in '' waka'' and '' kanshi'' poetry, and is today revered in Shinto as the god of learning, . In the famed poem anthology ' ...

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

Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...

() 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 the ...

and similar shrines. *

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

() enshrined at Toyokuni-jinja. ''All Emperors and Empresses of Japan are technically worshipped because of their descent from

Amaterasu Ōmikami , often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...

, 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 Japanese Buddhist deity * Sousuke Aizen (藍染惣右介), a main antagonist of the manga series ''Bleach'' See also

* * * Eizen {{Disambig ...

(), a

Wisdom King A wisdom king (Sanskrit: विद्याराज; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''vidyārāja'', ) is a type of Wrathful deities, wrathful deity in East Asian Buddhism. Whereas the Sanskrit name is translated lite ...

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 Ro ...

( 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 legends, he was ...

of the

Pure Land Pure Land is a Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddhahood, buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and Other power, sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places ...

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 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...

. * Daruma (), traditionally held in

Buddhist mythology The Buddhist traditions have created and maintained a vast body of mythological literature. The central myth of Buddhism revolves around the purported events of the life of the Buddha. This is told in relatively realistic terms in the earlie ...

to be the founder of

Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

Buddhism, as well as the founder of

Shaolin Kung Fu Shaolin kung fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is the largest and most famous style of Chinese martial arts, kung fu. It combines Chan Buddhism, Chan philosophy and martial arts. It was developed in the Shaolin Temple in ...

. 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), malnutrition, poor nourishment, poor circulatory system, circulation, loss of hormone, ...

Daruma doll A is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional dolls, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen tradition of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting the Indian monk, Bodhidharma, vary greatly in c ...

s were created in honor of this legend. *

Fudō Myōō or Achala (, "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. rel. dict., ...

(), a fierce and wrathful

who protects all by burning away impediments and defilements, and aiding them towards enlightenment. * Idaten (), guardian of Buddhist monasteries and monks. * Jizō (), a

Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...

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 (, "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. "sacred god" or ...

, god (''

deva Deva may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Deva, List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters, an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monster * Deva, in the 2023 Indian film ''Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefir ...

'') of bliss. *

Kannon Guanyin () is a common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with Karuṇā, compassion known as Avalokiteśvara (). Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means " he One WhoPerceives the Sounds of the World". Originally regarded as m ...

(), a

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

Yakushi Nyorai Bhaiṣajyaguru (, zh, t= , , , , ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabha-rāja ("Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light"; zh, t=藥師琉璃光(王)如來, , , ), is the Buddha of healing and medicine i ...

(), a

known for healing and medicine.

Seven Lucky Gods

The are: *

Benzaiten is an East Asian Buddhism, East Asian Buddhist Dharmapala, goddess who originated from the Hindu Saraswati, the patroness of speech, the arts, and learning. Worship of Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the sixth through eighth centuries, mai ...

( 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 (, ), also spelled as Sarasvati, is one of the principal Devi, goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of knowledge, education, learning, arts, speech, poetry, music, purification, language and culture. Together with the godde ...

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

warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

s and guards, as well as the punisher of

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

s. Said to live halfway down the side of

Mount Sumeru Mount Meru (Sanskrit/Pali: मेरु)—also known as Sumeru, Sineru or Mahāmeru—is a sacred, five-peaked mountain present within Hindu, Jain and Buddhist cosmologies, revered as the centre of all physical, metaphysical and spiritua ...

, the small

pagoda A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, 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 some ...

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 (, ) 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 Guardians of the directions, the regent of the north (''Dikpala''), and a protector of the ...

and the Buddhist Vaishravana. *

Daikokuten is a syncretic Japanese deity of fortune and wealth. Daikokuten originated from Mahākāla, the Buddhist conflated with the native Shinto god Ōkuninushi. Overview Mahākāla in East Asian Buddhism The Sanskrit term 'Mahākāla' ("Great B ...

() 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 ...

(more specifically, the

harvest Harvesting is the process of collecting plants, animals, or fish (as well as fungi) as food, especially the process of gathering mature crops, and "the harvest" also refers to the collected crops. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulses fo ...

), or of the

household A household consists of one 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 im ...

(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. General overview The term is descriptive of the ...

, 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). He was derived from

Mahākāla Mahākāla (, ) is a deity common to Hinduism and Buddhism. In Buddhism, Mahākāla is regarded as a '' Dharmapāla'' ("Protector of the Dharma") and a wrathful manifestation of a Buddha, while in Hinduism, Mahākāla is a fierce manifestatio ...

, the buddhist version of the Hindu deity

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

. * 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 Sparidae is a family of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Spariformes, the seabreams and porgies, although they were traditionally classified in the or ...

sea bass Sea bass is a common name for a variety of 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 bass, ''Dic ...

Jellyfish Jellyfish, also known as sea jellies or simply jellies, are the #Life cycle, medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, which is a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animal ...

are also associated with this god, and the

fugu Fugu (; ; ) in Japanese language, Japanese, ''bogeo'' (; 鰒魚) or ''bok'' () in Korean language, Korean, and ''hétún'' () in Standard Modern Chinese refers to tetraodontidae, pufferfish, normally of the genus ''Takifugu'', ''Lagocephalus'', o ...

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

Fukurokuju In Japan, is one of the Seven Lucky Gods in Japanese mythology. It has been theorized that he is a Japanese Cultural assimilation, assimilation of the Chinese Three Star Gods () embodied in one deity. Most related in appearance to the Chines ...

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

wisdom Wisdom, also known as sapience, is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and good judgment to navigate life’s complexities. It is often associated with insight, discernment, and ethics in decision-making. Throughout history, wisdom ha ...

and

longevity Longevity may refer to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is defined Statistics, statistically as the average number of years remaining at a given age. For example, a population's life expectancy at birth ...

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

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

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

deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...

. The sacred book tied to his staff is said to contain the lifespan of every person on Earth. *

Hotei Hotei may refer to: *Hotei Station, a Japanese train station *Tomoyasu Hotei, a Japanese musician *Budai, known as "Hotei" in Japanese, a semi-historical monk and deity *''Coralliophila hotei'', a species of sea snail *''School Judgement: Gakkyu H ...

() 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 place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

restaurant A restaurant is an establishment 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 Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...

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 , which Pliny's ''Natural History'' describes as "an object that protects a perso ...

s. Originally based on a Chinese Chan monk, Hotei has become a deity of

contentment Contentment is a state of being in which one is satisfied with their current Everyday life, life situation, and the State of affairs (philosophy), state of affairs in one's life as they presently are. If one is content, they are at inner peace w ...

and abundance. *

Jurōjin is one of Japanese mythology's Seven Gods of Fortune or . He is the god of longevity. Jurōjin originated from the Chinese Taoist god, the Old Man of the South Pole or Star of the Old Man. He is known as the immortal of the Song Dynasty, North ...

() 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

. She embodies

happiness Happiness is a complex and multifaceted emotion that encompasses a range of positive feelings, from contentment to intense joy. It is often associated with positive life experiences, such as achieving goals, spending time with loved ones, ...

and

beauty Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes them pleasure, pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, art and taste are the main subjects of aesthetics, one of the fie ...

. 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 Triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity in Hinduism, joining a Triad (religious), triad of eminent goddesses either as a feminine version of the Trimurti, or as consorts of a masculine Trimurti, depending on the d ...

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 considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

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 ...