Aizen-Myoo

God of love, especially worshipped by prostitutes, landlords, singers and musicians. He has a third eye above his other eyes on his forehead and a lion's head in his hair.

Aji-Suki-Taka-Hi-Kone

God of thunder. To quiet him as a child, the gods carried him up and down a ladder, explaining the approaching and receding sound of thunder.

Ama-No-Minaka-Nushi

'Divine Lord of the Middle Heavens' and god of the Pole Star.

Amaterasu

Shinto goddess of the sun and the leader of the Shinto pantheon. She was known as 'shining heaven' and the Japanese Emperors claimed to be descended from her.

Amatsu Mikaboshi

God of evil, his name means "August Star of Heaven".

Amatsu-Kami

Gods of heaven who live 'above' the earthly plain. They are heavenly and eternal.

Ama-Tsu-Mara

Shinto god of smiths. He is pictured as a cyclops.

Ame-No-Mi-Kumari

Shinto water goddess.

Ame-No-Wakahiko

God sent to rule the earth. Killed by the sky god Takami-Musubi.

Amida

God of death, to whom the devout turned at the moment of their death. His realm was beautiful, full of ambrosia trees, gentle breezes and lovely birds.

Am-No-Tanabata-Hime

Goddess of weavers.

Baku

A good spirit, known as the 'eater of dreams'. He brings good fortune by eating the nightmares of those who call on him. Seen as a creature with a lion's head, tiger's feet and a horse's body.

Benten

Goddess of love, the arts, wisdom, poetry, good fortune and water. Originally a sea deity, he became the patroness of the rich and the arts. She is seen as a beautiful woman riding a dragon. In her eight hands she holds a sword, a jewel, a bow, an arrow, a wheel and a key. Her other two arms are folded in prayer.

Benzai-Ten

See Benten.

Bimbogami

God of poverty. Rituals are performed to get rid of him.

Binzuru-Sonja

God of curing illness and good vision.

Bishamon

God of war, justice and protector of the law. He is one of the Shichi Fukujin and is portrayed in full armor, standing on demons and holding a spear in his hand.

Bosatsu

Manifestation of the Buddha in the past, present or future. See bodhisattva.

Butsu

See Buddha.

Chien-shin

A kami which is related to particular geographical area, and protects those living in the area.

Chimata-no-kami

Go of crossroads, highways and footpaths. He was originally a phallic god, and phallic symbols are often associated with him and with crossroads.

Chup-Kamui

Sun goddess of the Ainu. She was originally the moon goddess, but after one night of watching the adulterous behaivors of the people below, she begged the sun god to trade places with her.

Daibosatsu

The Great bodhisattva or the Buddah in his last incarnation.

Daikoku

God of wealth, the soil and patron of farmers. He is seen as a large, happy man seated on two bags of rice with a bag of jewels over his shoulder.

Dainichi

Buddhist personification of purity and wisdom.

Dosojin

God of roads.

Dozoku-shin

Ancestral kami of a dozoku, or clan. The worship of the Dozoku-shin is carried out by the main family of the clan.

Ebisu

God of the wealth of the sea, he is the patron god of fishermen and fishing. He is pictured holding a fish and a fishing pole. Anything washed up on the shore could be Ebisu, including a corpse.

Ekibiogami

God of plagues and epidemics.

Emma-o

Japanese Buddhist god of the underworld. He is the judge of the dead, and decides on the punishment of evildoers based on Buddha's Law.

Fudo

God of fire and wisdom, he is the patron protector of the people and the god of Astrology. Seen as an ugly old man surrounded by fire, with a sword in one hand and a rope in the other.

Fujin

Shinto god of the wind. Seen as a terrifying dark demon in a leopard skin, with a bag of winds over his shoulder.

Fukurokuju

Shinto god of wisdom, luck and prosperity.

Funadama

The boat-spirit, she is a goddess who protects and helps mariners and fishermen.

Futsu-Nushi-no-Kami

God of fire and lightning, later became a war god and general of Ameratsu.

Gama

God of longevity. Seen as a cheerful old man riding a stag and holding a scroll full of secret wisdom.

Gekka-o

God of marriage. He binds the feet of lovers with a red silken cord.

Hachiman

God of war and agriculture, and the divine protector of the Japanese people.

Haniyasu-hiko

God of the earth.

Haniyasu-hime

Goddess of the earth.

Haya-Ji

God of the whirlwind.

Hiruko

God of the morning sun. Guards the health of little children.

Hoso-no-Kami

God of smallpox.

Hotei

God of happiness, laughter and the wisdom of being content. Seen as a jolly fat man carrying a linen bag full of precious things, including children. He is the protector of the weak and small children.

Ida-Ten

Buddhist god of the law and of monasteries. Seen as a handsome young man.

Ika-Zuchi-no-Kami

Group of even Shinto demons who reside in the Underworld. Their rumblings can be heard during volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Iki-Ryo

The spirit of anger and envy which harms.

Inari

Both a male and female deity, Inari is the god/goddess of rice and agriculture.

Isora

God of the seashore.

Izanagi

Primordial god of the sky and the creator of everything good and right. With his wife Izanami he created the first of the Japanese islands.

Izanami

Primordial goddess of the earth and darkness. With her husband Izangi she helped create the first of the Japanese islands. Died in childbirth and became goddess of the Underworld and the dead.

Jinushigami

Minor deity who watches over a town or plot of land.

Jizo

Japanese Buddha of great compassion. He is the protector of pregnant women, children, and travelers. Identical to the Indian god Kshitigarbha.

Juichimen

Buddhist god of mercy.

Jurojin

Shinto god of longevity and a happy old age. He is one of the Shichi Fukujin, the seven gods of luck.

Kagutsuchi

Japanese god of fire.

Kamado-gami

Gods of the hearth.

Kami-kaze

God of wind, storms and viscous cold weather.

Kaminari

Goddess of thunder, known as the Thunder Queen and the Heavenly Noise.

Kanayama-hiko

God of metals.

Kanayama-hime

Goddess of metals.

Kawa-no-Kami

God of rivers. Although many rivers had their own god, he was the ruler of all rivers.

Kenro-Ji-Jin

God of earth.

Kishi-Bojin

Goddess of children and childbirth, it is to Kishi-Bojin that women pray for children.

Kishijoten

Goddess of luck and beauty, she is the patron of song and dance and protector of the Geishas.

Kishimo-jin

Buddhist goddess of compassion and protectoress of children.

Kojin

Ancient tree deity and goddess of the kitchen. She lives in an enoki tree.

Ko-no-Hana

The Blossom Princess, she is the goddess of spring and the one who makes the flowers blossom.

Koshin

God of the roads.

Koya-no-Myoin

God of the sacred Mount Koya. Seen as a hunter with a red face and two hounds.

Kukunochi-no-Kami

Shinto god of the trees.

Kuni-Toko-tachi

Earth deity who lives in Mt. Fuji.

Kura-Okami

God of rain and snow.

Marisha-Ten

Queen of heaven, goddess of the light, sun and moon.

Mawaya-no-kami

Kami, or deity of the toilet. Occasionally invoked to help with gynecological diseases or ailments of theeyes and teeth.

Miro

Japanese name for Maitreya.

Miyazu-Hime

Goddess of royalty.

Monju-Bosatsu

Japanese Buddhist bosatsu of wisdom and knowledge.

Musubi-no-Kami

God of love and marriage. Appears as a handsome (and ardent) young lover.

Nai-no-Kami

God of earthquakes.

Naka-Yama-Tsu-Mi

God of mountain slopes.

Nikko-Bosatsu

Buddhist god of sunshine and good health.

Ninigi-no-mikoto

Rice god and ancestral god of the Japanese imperial family.

Nominosukune

God of wrestling.

Nyorai

Japanese name for all of the Buddha's appearances.

Oanomochi

God of the crater of Mt. Fuji.

Ohonamochi

A god of the earth.

Oho-Yama

The great mountain god.

Okuni-Nushi

God of majic and medicine, he is the ruler of the unseen things and the spirit world.

Owatatsumi

God of the sea.

Oyamatsumi

A god of the mountains.

Raiden

God of thunder and lightning. He is pictured as a red demon with sharp claws and carrying a large drum.

Ryo-Wo

God of the sea. known as the Dragon King.

Sae-no-Kami

A group of kami, or deities, who guard the roads of Japan.

Sambo-kojin

God of the kitchen. He is pictured with three faces and two pairs of hands.

Sarutahiko Ohkami

God of crossroads, paths and overcoming obstacles. He is pictured as a huge man with a large beard and a jeweled spear, with holy light shining from his eyes, mouth and posterior. He is the chief of the kami on earth.

Sengen

See Ko-no-Hana.

Shaka

The silent sage, the wisest and first appearance of Buddha on earth. Shaka corresponds with the Hindu Shakyamuni

Shichi Fujukin

The Seven Gods of Luck, they are: Benten, Bishamon, Daikoku, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Hotei and Jurojin.

Shinda

Ainu fertility god of the island of Hokkaido.

Shine-Tsu-Hiko

God of the wind, he fills the space between heaven and earth.

Shoden

See Ganesha.

Shoki

God of the afterlife and exorcism.

Suijin

Deity of the water.

Suitengu

Child god of the sea.

Sukuna-Biko

Dwarf god of healing, agriculture and hot springs.

Susanowa

God of the winds, storms, ocean and snakes in Shinto mythology. He is the brother and consort of Ameratsu.

Takami-Musubi

Primordial sky god and creator of living things in Shinto belief.

Takemikadzuchi

A thunder god.

Taki-Tsu-Hiko

God of rain.

Tatsuta-hime

Goddess of autumn.

Tenjin

God of learning, language and calligraphy. He taught humans to write.

Toyo-Uke-Bime

Goddess of earth, food and agriculture.

Toyouke-Omikami

Goddess of grain.

Tsuki-Yumi

God of the moon and brother of the sun goddess Ameratsu.

Uba

Spirit of the pine tree. Means 'old woman' or 'wet nurse'.

Uga-Jin

Serpent god of the waters and fertility of the earth.

Uga-no-Mitama

Goddess of agriculture.

Ukemochi

Goddess of fertility and food.

Uzume

Shinto goddess of joy and happiness.

Wakahiru-me

Goddess of the rising sun.

Wata-tsu-mi

God of the sea.

Yabune

Japanese house god.

Yama-no-kami

Goddess of the hunt, forest, agriculture and vegetation.

Yamato

The soul or spirit of Japan.

Yuki-Onna

The Snow Queen or goddess of winter.