Japanese Gods

Susanoo
Susanoo, the powerful storm of Summer, is the brother of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and of
Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon. All three were spawned from Izanagi, when he washed his face clean
of the pollutants of Yomi, the underworld. Amaterasu was born when Izanagi washed out his left eye,
Tsukuyomi was born from the washing of the right eye, and Susanoo from the washing of the nose. The
oldest of Susanoo’s myths tell of a long-standing rivalry between Susanoo and his sister. When he was to
leave Heaven by orders of Izanagi, he went to bid his sister goodbye. Amaterasu was suspicious, but
when Susanoo proposed a challenge to prove his sincerity, she accepted. Each of them took an object of
the other's and from it birthed gods and goddesses. Amaterasu birthed three women from Susanoo's
sword while he birthed five men from her necklace. Claiming the gods were hers because they were
born of her necklace, and the goddesses were his, he decided that he has won the challenge, as his item
produced women. The two were content for a time, but Susanoo, the Storm God, became restless and
went on a rampage destroying his sister's rice fields, hurled a flayed pony at her loom, and killed one of
her attendants in a fit of rage. Amaterasu, who was in fury and grief, hid inside the Ama-no-lwato
("heavenly rock cave"), thus effectively hiding the sun for a long period of time. Susanoo also killed the
eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi.
God of the Moon
Tsukuyomi angered his sister Amaterasu when he killed Uke Mochi, the goddess of food. Amaterasu
once sent Tsukuyomi to represent her at a feast presented by Uke Mochi. The goddess made the food
by turning to the ocean and spitting out a fish, then facing the forest and game came out of her
backside, and finally turned to a rice paddy and coughed up a bowl of rice. Tsukuyomi was utterly
disgusted by the fact that, although it looked exquisite, the meal was made in a disgusting manner, and
so he killed her. Soon, Amaterasu learned what happened and she was so angry that she refused to ever
look at Tsukuyomi again, forever moving to another part of the sky. This is the reason that day and night
are never together.
Izanagi (He who invites)
He and his spouse Izanami bore many islands, deities and forefathers of Japan. When Izanami died in
childbirth, Izanagi tried (but failed) to retrieve her from Yomi (the underworld). In the cleansing rite after
his return, he begot Amaterasu (the sun goddess) from his left eye, Tsukuyomi (the moon god) from his
right eye and Susanoo (tempest or storm god) from his nose.
The story of Izanagi and Izanami has close parallels to the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but it
also has a major difference. When Izanagi looks prematurely at his wife, he beholds her monstrous and
hellish state and she is shamed and enraged. She pursues him in order to kill him. She fails to do so, but
promises to kill a thousand of his people every day. Izanagi retorts that a thousand and five hundred will
be born every day.
Izanami (She who invites)
Wife of Izanagi
Goddess of creation and Death

Fujin
The Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He was present at the creation of the
world and when he first let the winds out of his bag, they cleared the morning mists and filled the Gate
between heaven and earth so the sun shone.
He is portrayed as a terrifying dark demon, resembling a red headed black leopard humanoid wearing a
leopard skin, carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.
A legend of Chinese Buddhism states that Fujin and Raijin, the god of thunder, were both originally evil
demons who opposed Buddha. They were captured in battle with Buddha's army of heaven, and have
worked as gods since then
Raijin
A god of thunder and lightning in Japanese mythology. His name is derived from the Japanese words rai
(meaning thunder) and shin (god). He is typically depicted as a demon beating drums to create thunder,
usually with the symbol tomoe drawn in the drums.
Raijin is sometimes credited with eating the bellybuttons or abdomen of children, and in the event of
thunder, parents traditionally tell their children to hide their navels so that they are not taken away.
Raijin’s companion is the demon Raiju.
Kagatsuchi
God of Fire
Benten/Benzaiten
God of Love, beauty, eloquence and music, as well as a sea goddess

Kaminari
Goddess of Thunder
Ame-No-Mi-Kumari
Shinto goddess of water
Ryo-wo
God of the Sea (also known as the Dragong King)

Mikaboshi
God of evil and stars, specifically the Pole Star.
Enemy of kaminari
Hachiman
God of War / Warriors and the divine protector of Japan and its people.
Inari
The Japanese kami of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry, and worldly success.
Bishamon / Bishamonte
God of War, Justice and law, god of the north

Uke-Mochi
Goddess of Food who blesses the Earth with abundance.
Tenjin
God of learning, and calligraphy. He taught humans to write.

Hotei
God of contentment and happiness.

Japanese Gods

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Japanese Gods

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Susanoo

God of the Moon

Izanami (She who invites)

Goddess of creation and Death

God of Love, beauty, eloquence and music, as well as a sea goddess

Shinto goddess of water

God of the Sea (also known as the Dragong King)

God of evil and stars, specifically the Pole Star.

God of War, Justice and law, god of the north

Goddess of Food who blesses the Earth with abundance.

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

God of contentment and happiness.

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