Japanese Gods
Japanese gods and goddesses include everyone from powerful creator gods to minor, localized kami. Particularly notable is the sun goddess Amaterasu, held to be the divine ancestor of the first emperor of Japan, a lineage that remains unbroken into the current day.
List of Japanese Gods
Amaterasu
Japanese sun goddess, the queen of heaven, kami, and creation itself.
Amaterasu (天照) is the Japanese sun goddess, daughter of creator deities Izanagi and Izanami, and central to the Shinto religion. It is from her the Japanese nobility claims descent and their divine right to rule.
View
Ame-no-Uzume
Japanese goddess of the dawn, who saved the world from eternal night.
Ame-no-Uzume is the Japanese goddess of the dawn, known for her merriment and humor. Credited with inventing the performing arts, her spontaneous dancing once saved the world from eternal darkness.
View
Benzaiten
Japanese goddess of luck and wisdom, kami of all that flows, from water to time.
Benzaiten is a joyous Japanese goddess, dispenser of luck and wisdom. Both a Buddhist deity and Shinto kami, she is one of the Seven Lucky Gods and rules over all that flows, including music, water, wealth, and time.
View
Bishamonten
Japanese god of war and fortune, protector of Buddhist temples and shrines.
Bishamonten (毘沙門天) is a Japanese warrior god, protector of Buddhist temples, worshipers, and their offerings. He is the only one of the Seven Lucky Gods associated with war and violence.
View
Daikokuten
Highly revered Japanese household deity, god of luck and fortune-seekers
Daikokuten (大黒天) is the Japanese god of luck and fortune-seeking, who favors the bold. A revered household deity, he is one of the Seven Lucky Gods who bring prosperity and good fortune to Japan.
ViewEbisu
Smiling Japanese god of luck, wealth, and prosperity, patron of fishermen.
Ebisu is one of Japanese mythology’s Seven Lucky Gods, the kami of luck, wealth, and prosperity. Jovial and generous, he is the patron of fishermen and also very popular with corporations and restaurants.
View
Fujin
Japanese god of the wind, frighteningly powerful and neither good nor evil.
Fujin (風神) is the Japanese god of the wind, a popular but terrifying demon. His bag of air moves all the world’s winds, and he is a powerful force of nature alongside his brother, the thunder god Raijin.
View
Fukurokuju
Japanese god of wealth and longevity, representing the Southern Polestar.
Fukurokuju (福禄寿) is the god of wealth and longevity who represents the Southern Polestar. Depicted with an oversized head indicating his wisdom, he is one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan.
ViewHotei
The “Laughing Buddha,” a benevolent Japanese god and symbol of luck.
Hotei (布袋) is a bodhisattva and a member of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. One of the most well-known symbols of Buddhism, rubbing the belly of the “Laughing Buddha” is said to bring good luck.
View
Inari
Complex Japanese deity and patron of tea, rice, prosperity, smithing, and foxes.
Inari (稲荷) is one of the most popular Japanese deities, a kami with influence over rice, tea, general prosperity, smithing, and foxes. Being imbued with many different roles, their shrines are the most numerous in Japan.
View
Izanagi
One of Japanese mythology’s divine creators, father of the islands of Japan.
Izanagi is one of the divine creators of the islands of Japan and the founder of marriage, as well as many of Shinto’s religious rituals. He serves as advisor to his daughter Amaterasu, the queen of Heaven.
View
Jizo
One of Japan’s most beloved bodhisattva, protector of children and the dead.
Jizo (地蔵) is a compassionate Japanese bodhisattva who vowed not to reach Nirvana until every other soul attains enlightenment. He is particularly attentive to unborn children and those who die before reaching adulthood.
View
Kagutsuchi
Japanese god of fire, patron of blacksmiths and craftsmen who work with fire.
Kagutsuchi (軻遇突智) is the Japanese god of fire whose birth killed his mother, creator goddess Izanami. The patron of blacksmiths and those who work with fire, he is also associated with volcanoes and earthquakes.
ViewKannon
Goddess of compassion and mercy, the most popular bodhisattva in Japan.
Kannon (観音) is the goddess of compassion and mercy, the keeper of peace and reliever of troubles. The most popular bodhisattva in Japan, she also relieves drought, helps women to conceive, and makes good wishes for the world.
View
Kichijoten
Japanese goddess of beauty and fertility, worshipped primarily by women.
Kichijoten (吉祥天) is Japanese Buddhism’s version of the Indian goddess Lakshmi. She grants beauty, fertility, and happiness to her worshipers, and is sometimes included as one of the Seven Lucky Gods.
ViewNinigi
Japanese deity credited with bringing rice, civilization, and justice to humanity.
Ninigi (瓊瓊) is the grandson of Amaterasu, chosen to be her emissary to the people of Japan. He was sent with rice, which brought with it civilization, and the Imperial Regalia, representing his divine mandate.
ViewRaijin
Chaotic but popular Japanese god of thunder, lightning, and storms.
Raijin (雷神) is the Japanese god of thunder, lightning, and storms. Often appearing alongside his brother Fujin, the god of the wind, Raijin the trickster brings vital rains but leaves a wake of chaos and destruction.
View
Susanoo
Tempestuous Japanese god of seas and storms and slayer of dragons.
Susanoo is the tumultuous Japanese god of seas and storms, thunder and lightning. Too wild to remain in orderly heaven, he is nonetheless a heroic mythological figure, slayer of a fearsome eight-headed dragon.
View
Tsukuyomi
Japanese moon god forever separated from his wife, sun goddess Amaterasu.
Tsukuyomi (月読) is the Japanese god of the moon and estranged husband of the sun goddess Amaterasu. A proud but violent deity, his killing of Uke Mochi and consequent separation from his wife were the origins of day and night.
View