Japanese Mythology

“Landlord kami,” that is, the kami who is the tutelary deity of a particular area. Πkuninushi is the jinushigami of the Izumo area. Other kami of various titles and importance may be

First emperor of Japan, great-grandson of Ninigi-no-mikoto, and great-greatgrandson of Amaterasu-π-mikami. He was the last son of Amatsuhiko-nomikoto, the son of Ho-ori-no-mikoto from his marriage to the daughter of Owatatsumi, the kami

The spirit of hunger. This is an evil spirit or ghost that can inflict itself on travellers in remote locations. When possessed by such an apparition, the individual becomes faint, often losing

The vantage point between heaven and the formless waters from whence Izanagi, stirring with his jewelled spear, stirred the waters. As a consequence, the liquid formed clumps, and drops of water falling

Hunting goddess in Ainu mythology. She protects hunters, often appearing to a good hunter to show him the best place to find game. She is also the deity of the full catch

“Eight banners,” one of the major deities of the Shintπ pantheon, Hachiman is associated with the activities of war and culture. As a Buddhist deity he is worshiped as a daibosatsu (great

Eight dragon kings. Originally the naga or snake spirits of Indian belief, these became the dragon kings in China, from whence they arrived in Japan. The eight dragon kings rule dragon- and

The emperor Gozu, ox-headed deity of the underworld in Buddhist mythology. He is the deity of disease and plague and is therefore invoked for protection against the calamities he brings. He is

Representation of the kami in Shintπ worship. Every Shintπ shrine houses an object associated with the kami. These objects are extremely varied. In fishing villages, odd-shaped stones caught in fishermen’s nets are

A general term for syncretic deities who are protectors of mountains or important areas. There are a number of such gongen, the title usually preceded by the locale name. The one exception