Lux Ferre

Okuninushi Great Lord of the Country; Great Land Master; Prince of Plenty; The Great Landlord; The Celestial Matchmaker ALSO KNOWN AS: Onamuchi; Okuni Nushi; O-Kuni-Nushi; Daikoku Sama CLASSIFICATION: Kami Okuninushi is the

Konohana Sakkuya Hime ALSO KNOWN AS: Konohanasakuya; Sengensama ORIGIN: Japan CLASSIFICATION: Kami Konohana Sakkuya Hime is the presiding spirit of Japan’s Mount Fuji and the kami of blossoming cherry trees. The younger

Kanayago The Iron Worker’s Child ORIGIN: Japan CLASSIFICATION: Kami Kanayago, a celestial kami, stepped off the moon tree intending to deliver a treatise, “A Secret Writing about Iron Mountain” but her foot

Koyasu ALSO KNOWN AS: Koyasu-sama; Koyasu-gami: Koyasu Kannon ORIGIN: Japan CLASSIFICATION: Kami; Bosatsu Koyasu protects children and facilitates safe, easy, successful childbirth. Koyasu-sama is another name for Konohana Sak kuya Hime, Goddess

Izanami August Female; The Female Who Is Invited ALSO KNOWN AS: Izanami-no-mikoto ORIGIN: Japan According to the creation saga told in the Japanese epics, the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki, in the beginning

Izanagi August Male; The Male Who Invites ORIGIN: Japan Izanagi and Izanami, the celestial pair, formed the universe. (See Izanami for details.) After Izanami’s death and Izanagi’s narrow escape from the realm

Inari, spirit of abundance, fertility, growth, and rice, may be Japan’s most popular kami. Over one-third of all Shinto shrines are dedicated to Inari, and that’s not counting innumerable roadside and domestic

Hyotoko : The Fire Man; The Whistler Hyotoko is the name of a spirit and the mask used to represent him. The very recognizable mask depicts a man with a contorted face.