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Nov 29, 2022 · 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.
- Japanese God Names
Japanese god names: Origin, structure, and meaning. Storms,...
- Japanese God Names
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 Shinto .
Feb 4, 2023 · Just to be completely clear about things, the gods of the Japanese pantheon actually go by a slightly different term – more specifically, they're called "kami," and the way they work isn't quite the same as what you get with the gods of other pantheons.
- Izanami and Izanagi
- Amaterasu
- Tsukuyomi
- Jizo
- Inari
- Kagutsuchi
- Raijin and Fujin
- Hachiman
- Kannon
- Susanoo
Most polytheistic religions out there have primordial gods, but very few of them are as well documented or interesting as Izanami and Izanagi. Their names alone give us a lot of insight into their role in the pantheon, as Izanagi stands for Izanagi no Mikoto, or “he who invites” and Izanami which stands for Izanami no Mikoto, or “she who invites”. ...
Often times cited as the Queen of Heaven or the Japanese Goddess of the Rising Sun, many people believed that the Imperial Family of Japan were direct descendants of hers. She is believed to have been one of the most important deities in the Shinto religion, being the daughter of Izanami and Izanagi and the ruler of the sky. She is also known for h...
The Moon God Tsukuyomi is a direct descendant of Izanagi that washed away from his right eye after he unsuccessfully tried to save his sibling from Yomi. Tsukuyomi would end up marrying Amaterasu, which is why it is believed that the Sun and Moon share the same sky in Japanese folklore. But regardless, Tsukuyomi is known for being very brash and vi...
Jizo is known as a Ksitigarbha outside of Japan, and he is a Bodhisattva, or a practitioner of Buddhism that has created his very own way towards enlightenment in order to help others along the path. As such, you can find plenty of small statues of Jizo around temples. On top of that, it is believed that Jizo is a guardian of children, especially t...
Inari is known as the god of rice, sake, tea and prosperity. This kami usually takes on the form of a white or dark-colored fox, but in some iterations, it can also be seen as a woman holding rice in her palms. This is why if you’ve ever been to a Japanese temple, chances are that you found a series of fox statues that surround a shrine. Inari may ...
As mentioned previously, Kagutsuchi is the God of Fire, and he is the son of the primordial kami Izanagi and Izanami. He is so powerful that when he was born, he burned a hole through his mother which in turn led to her death. Seeing this happen to his wife, Izanagi ended up lopping off Kagutsuchi’s head, spilling his blood everywhere, which will l...
Raijin is known as the god of lightning, thunder and storms, while Fujin is the god of wind. The two are almost always seen together, with Raijin carrying a hammer and being surrounded by drums while Fujin carries a bag full of wind. Interestingly enough, Raijin and Fujin are not seen as good nor bad by most of the Shinto practitioners. Instead, th...
You may have heard of Hachiman, or maybe you heard of him under one of his other nicknames that he received over the years such as Yahata and Emperor Ojin. Regardless of what you know him as, one thing is for certain, Hachiman is not one to be taken lightly. That’s because Hachiman is known as the God of War in the Japanese mythos, being revered bo...
Kannon is actually one of the most important Buddhist deities in Japan. He/she is worshipped as the God of Mercy, compassion and pets, and they are also meant to represent the aspect of child-giving and loving mothers. Depending on which religious denominations you go for, you may find yourself confused over what her role is in the world. In Shinto...
Susanoo is the brother of Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, and he was born directly from the nose of Izanagi after his father’s failure to save his mother from Yomi. As the God of Seas and Storms however, he does not share in their benevolence as he is known to be the most temperamental and violent of the trio. He has chaotic mood swings, but even so he is...
From Amaterasu-Ōmikami, the revered goddess of the sun, to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the god of storms and the sea, and the divine couple Izanagi and Izanami, who are believed to have created Japan itself, Japanese mythology is a treasure trove of fascinating deities.
Sep 24, 2021 · In Japanese mythology, the gods were referred to as kami. There were also various spirits, monsters, and magical creatures that were heavily included in the myths. Let’s take a closer look at seven deities in Japanese mythology as we delve into the meaning of their names and get to know more about them. 1. Amaterasu.
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Japanese god names: Origin, structure, and meaning. Storms, winds, and waves: in Japanese mythology, the gods are tightly linked to the elements of the world as we see it around us. As such, Japanese god names may remind you of singular, elemental words that describe fundamental forces.
