Shinto/Japanese
By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.
Japanese Archipelago
Ancient Times
16 gods and goddesses
Shinto (Way of the Kami) is the indigenous spirituality of Japan, featuring countless kami (divine spirits or gods) associated with natural phenomena, ancestors, and sacred places.
Male primordial deity who, with Izanami, created the Japanese islands and many kami. After Izanami's death, he performed the first purification ritual.
Female primordial deity who created the Japanese islands and kami with Izanagi. After dying in childbirth, she became goddess of death and ruler of Yomi.
Supreme goddess of the sun and universe. Ruler of the High Celestial Plain. Divine ancestor of the Japanese Imperial family. Most important deity in Shinto.
God of the moon and night. Brother of Amaterasu and Susanoo. Represents night, time, and the lunar cycle. Ruler of the night realm.
God of storms, sea, and chaos. Brother of Amaterasu. Initially wild but later heroic. Famous for slaying the eight-headed dragon Yamata no Orochi.
Kami of rice, fertility, agriculture, industry, and prosperity. One of the most popular kami in Japan. Associated with foxes (kitsune) as messengers.
Syncretic god of war, archery, and protector of Japan and warriors. Originally Emperor Ojin deified. Patron of the samurai clains.
God of thunder, lightning, and storms. Depicted as a demon beating drums to create thunder. Works with Fujin (wind god).
God of wind and air. Depicted as a demon carrying a large bag of winds. Twin to Raijin. Controls gentle breezes and destructive typhoons.
Goddess of everything that flows: water, time, words, music, and knowledge. One of the Seven Lucky Gods. Originated from Hindu goddess Saraswati.
Dragon god of the sea who dwells in an underwater palace made of red and white coral. Ruler of all sea creatures and controller of the tides through his magical tide jewels.
One of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin). God of fishermen, merchants, and honest labor. The only purely Japanese deity among the Seven, known for his cheerful disposition.
One of the Seven Lucky Gods. God of wealth, farmers, and the kitchen. Derived from the Hindu deity Mahakala but merged with the native kami Okuninushi in Japan.
Goddess of dawn, mirth, and revelry. Her wild, comedic dance lured Amaterasu from the Heavenly Rock Cave, restoring light to the world. Ancestral deity of performing arts.
The fire god whose birth killed his mother Izanami, triggering Izanagi's descent to Yomi and the eternal separation of life and death. From his death came many kami.
The Great Land Master who built and ruled the earthly realm before ceding it to Amaterasu's descendants. God of nation-building, medicine, magic, and matchmaking. Principal deity of Izumo Grand Shrine.
The primordial gods Izanagi and Izanami create the Japanese islands and countless kami, establishing the divine origins of Japan and its imperial line.
When Susanoo's violence drives Amaterasu into hiding in a cave, the world falls into darkness. The gods devise a plan to lure her out, restoring light to the world. Explains the importance of ritual.
Exiled storm god Susanoo encounters an eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon terrorizing a family. He slays the beast and discovers the sacred sword Kusanagi in its tail.
After his wife Izanami dies giving birth to the fire god, Izanagi descends to the underworld to bring her back. But when he breaks the taboo against looking at her, he sees her rotting corpse and must flee, sealing the boundary between life and death forever.
After losing his brother's magical fishhook, the hunter Hoori journeys to the palace of the sea god, where he wins the heart of the dragon princess Toyotama-hime. Their love produces an heir, but forbidden knowledge destroys their union.