This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions. Many of these are from Shinto, while others were imported via Buddhism and were "integrated" into Japanese mythology and folklore.
Kotoamatsukami
Ame no Minakanushi () – Lord of the August Center of Heaven Takamimusubi () – Exalted Generative Force Kamimusubi () – Sacred Generative Force Umashiashikabihikoji () – Elderly Prince Reed-Shoot Ame no Tokotachi () – Ever-Standing Heaven
Kamiyonanayo
Izanagi: () was a creation deity; he makes up the seventh generation of the Kamiyonanayo, along with his wife and sister, Izanami. Izanami: () was a creation deity; she makes up the seventh generation of the Kamiyonanayo, along with her husband and brother, Izanagi. Kuni no Tokotachi () was a deity classified as a hitorigami. He was, by himself, the first generation of the Kamiyonanayo. He was considered one of the first two gods, according to the , or one of the first three gods, according to the Nihongi. Omodaru and Ayakashikone: ( and ) Sixth generation of the Kamiyonanayo. Otonoji and Otonobe: ( and ) Fifth generation of the Kamiyonanayo. Toyokumono: () was a hitorigami, and constituted the second generation of the Kamiyonanayo. Tsunugui and Ikugui: ( and ) Fourth generation of the Kamiyonanayo. Uhijini and Suhijini: ( and ) Third generation of the Kamiyonanayo.
Major kami
Amaterasu-Ōmikami (), she is the goddess of the sun as well as the purported ancestress of the Imperial Household of Japan. Her name means "Shines from Heaven" or "the great kami who shine Heaven". For many reasons, one among them being her ties to the Imperial family, she is often considered (though not officially) to be the "primary god" of Shinto. Ame-no-Uzume ( or ) Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry in Shinto. Fūjin () Also known as , he is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods, said to have been present at the creation of the world. He is often depicted as an oni with a bag slung over his back. Hachiman () is the god of war and the divine protector of Japan and its people. Originally an agricultural deity, he later became the guardian of the Minamoto clan. His symbolic animal and messenger is the dove. Inari Ōkami () The god or goddess of rice and fertility. Their messengers and symbolic animal are foxes. They are often identified with Ukanomitama and Buddhist deity Dakiniten. Ninigi-no-Mikoto () Commonly called Ninigi, he was the grandson of Amaterasu. His great-grandson was Kan'yamato Iwarebiko, later known as Emperor Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan. Ōkuninushi () A god of nation-building, farming, business, and medicine. Omoikane () The deity of wisdom and intelligence, who is always called upon to "ponder" and give good counsel in the deliberations of the heavenly deities. Ōmononushi () in the Nihongi, Ōmononushi was considered an alternate name for Ōkuninushi. But, it appears that the two were separate kami. Raijin () is the god of thunder and lightning and is often paired with Fūjin. As with the latter, Raijin is usually depicted as an oni. Ryūjin () Some traditions consider him and Ōwatatsumi as the same god. He is a dragon, as well as god of the sea. Suijin () The god of water. Susanoo-no-Mikoto ( or ) is a god of storms, as well as the ruler of the sea in some cases. He is also somewhat of a trickster god, as Japanese mythology extensively documents the "sibling rivalry" between him and Amaterasu. Susanoo was also responsible for the slaying of the monster Yamata no Orochi and the subsequent discovery of the sacred sword Kusanagi. Takemikazuchi, (/) known as a god of thunder and the god of swords. Takeminakata, () god of wind, water and agriculture, as well as a patron of hunting and warfare. Toyotama-hime () was the daughter of Ryūjin and the grandmother of Emperor Jimmu. It is said that after she gave birth to her son, she turned into a dragon and disappeared. Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto ( or ) is the god of the moon. He killed Ukemochi, out of disgust and anger in the way she had prepared a meal. This caused Amaterasu never to face him again, causing the sun and moon to be in different parts of the sky. Yatagarasu () is an incarnation of the sun and the guide of Emperor Jimmu.
Minor kami
Ajisukitakahikone () is a kami of agriculture and thunder. Amanozako () Amatsuhikone, considered the third son of Amaterasu. Amatsumara (), the kami of iron-working. Amatsu-Mikaboshi (), the kami of stars who existed before the Kotoamatsukami. Amenohoakari, () a sun and agriculture god. Ame-no-hohi (, ) considered the second son of Amaterasu. Ame-no-Koyane ( or ) A male deity, he is considered the "First in Charge of Divine Affairs," as well as the aide to the first Emperor of Japan. He is also considered to be the ancestor of the Fujiwara family. Ame-no-Naemasu (), said to be son of Futsunushi. Ame-no-oshihomimi () Ame-no-Tajikarao (), in some traditions, is the kami that pulls Amaterasu out of Ama-no-Iwato. Ame-no-wakahiko (, ) God of grains. Atago Gongen () Azumi-no-isora () is a kami of the seashore. He is considered to be the ancestor of the Azumi people. Dojin (), is a Japanese god of earth, land, and/or soil. Futodama () is a kami who performed a divination when Amaterasu hid in a cave. Futsunushi () Main deity at Katori Shrine. Haniyasu no kami, two deities born from Izanami's feces. Hoderi () was a deity of the bounty of the sea and enchanted fisherman. Hoori () Isetsuhiko (), a god of the wind. Ishikori-dome no Mikoto (), the god of metalworking. Kagu-tsuchi (), the kami of fire. Kajin (), is a god of fire. Kanayago-kami/Kanayako-kami (), a Kami of metal and metalworking, who, as believed by blacksmiths, lives mainly in the Chūgoku Region. Similar to Inari, Kanayago can be either male or female. Kawaya no Kami, kami of the toilet. Kawa-no-Kami, a god of rivers. Kaya-no-hime, the goddess of vegetation, grass and fields. Kisshōten (), goddess of good fortune; also known as Kichijōten, Kisshoutennyo (), and as Kudokuten (), Kisshōten is the Shinto adaption, via Buddhism, from the Hindu goddess, Lakshmi. Kōjin (), is the god of fire, the hearth, and the kitchen. Konjin () Kotoshironushi () Kuebiko (), the god of knowledge and agriculture, represented in Japanese mythology as a scarecrow who cannot walk but has comprehensive awareness. Kukunochi, believed to be the ancestor of trees. Kukurihime no Kami (), a goddess enshrined at Shirayama Hime Shrine. Kuraokami () is a legendary Japanese dragon and Shinto deity of rain and snow. Kushinadahime Kuzuryū, minor water deity. Mizuhanome, water kami. Moreya () Nakisawame, kami born from Izanagi's tears after his wife's death. Nesaku, a star god. Oshirasama () Sarutahiko Ōkami (), a kami of the Earth that guided Ninigi to the Japanese islands. Seidai Myōjin, god of sports, enshrined at Shiramine Jingū in Kyoto, especially worshipped for kemari and football. Shinatsuhiko, a kami of wind. Sukuna-Biko-Na () A small deity of medicine and rain, who created and solidified the land with Ōkuninushi. Sumiyoshi sanjin, the gods of the sea and sailing. Tajimamori (), god who obtained the tokijiku no kagu no mi in Tokoyo-no-kuni, and hailed as "god of wagashi" (sweets, confections). Tamanoya-no-Mikoto, a kami believed to be the creator of Yasakani no Magatama. Takitsuhiko a kami believed to bring forth rain. Tamayori-hime, mother of Emperor Jimmu. Ta-no-Kami (), is a kami who is believed to observe the harvest of rice plants or to bring a good harvest, by Japanese farmers. Tatsuta-hime and Tatsuta-hiko, pair of wind kami who bring forth autumn. Nigihayahi-no-mikoto () Toyouke-Ōmikami, goddess of food. She is also the daughter of Wakumusubi. Tsugenoinagi, a kami of ice. Ugajin, a harvest and fertility kami represented with the body of a snake and head of a man or woman. They may be derived from Ukanomitama. Ugayafukiaezu, the father of Japan's first emperor. Ukanomitama, a kami associated with food and agriculture. Ukemochi (), is considered a goddess of food. After she vomited out various types of food, she was killed by a disgusted Tsukuyomi or Susanoo. Wakahiru-me, a kami of the rising sun, considered the daughter or younger sister of Amaterasu. Wakumusubi, a kami of agriculture. Watatsumi is considered by some traditions to be the same god as Ryujin.
Yama-no-Kami
Konohanasakuya-hime (), the wife of Ninigi and daughter of Ōyamatsumi, and great-grandmother of Jimmu. She is also known as the goddess of Mount Fuji. Omonoimi no Kami ( 大物忌神), god of Mount Chōkai, worshipped at Chōkaisan Ōmonoimi Shrine, identified with Toyouke-hime Ōyamatsumi (), an elder brother of Amaterasu, and an important god of mountains. Also the father of Konohanasakuya-hime.
People worshipped as kami
This section includes historical people worshipped as kami.
Emperor Jimmu () the first emperor. Enshrined at Kashihara Shrine. Emperor Meiji (), and Empress Shōken (). Enshrined at Meiji Shrine. Oda Nobunaga () enshrined at Kenkun-jinja. Shōtoku Taishi was sometimes worshipped by Shintoists in Prince's Hall ( Taishido) as the Kami of building trade and easy birth, like in the Hokai-ji of Kamakura. Tenjin () The god of scholarship, he is the deified Sugawara no Michizane. Subsequent disasters in Heiankyo were attributed to his angered spirit. Tokugawa Ieyasu () enshrined at Nikkō Tōshō-gū and similar shrines. Toyotomi Hideyoshi () enshrined at Toyokuni-jinja.
All Emperors and Empresses of Japan are technically worshipped because of their descent from Amaterasu Ōmikami, but there are many esteemed and highly revered ones who are not enshrined.
Buddhism
Aizen Myō-ō (), a Wisdom King known to transform earthly desires (love/lust) into spiritual awakening. Amida Nyorai ( or ), commonly referred to as Amida-butsu (), he is the primary Buddha of the Pure Land school of Buddhism. He is believed to possess infinite meritorious qualities and is known as the "Lord of the Beyond and the Afterlife." He is one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. Daruma (), traditionally held in Buddhist mythology to be the founder of Zen Buddhism, as well as the founder of Shaolin Kung Fu. One legend reports that after years of facing a wall in meditation, Bodhidharma's legs and arms fall off due to atrophy. Daruma dolls were created in honor of this legend. Fudō Myōō (), a fierce and wrathful Wisdom King who protects all by burning away impediments and defilements, and aiding them towards enlightenment. Idaten (), guardian of Buddhist monasteries and monks. Jizō (), a Bodhisattva known as the protector of the vulnerable, especially children, travelers, and expectant mothers. He is also regarded as the patron deity of deceased children and aborted fetuses and the savior of hell-beings. His statues are a common sight, especially by roadsides and in graveyards. Kangiten, god (deva) of bliss. Kannon (), a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. Commonly known in English as the "Goddess of Mercy." Yakushi Nyorai (), a Buddha known for healing and medicine.
Seven Lucky Gods
The are:
Benzaiten ( or ) Also known as Benten or Benzaitennyo, she is the goddess of everything that flows: words (and knowledge, by extension), speech, eloquence, and music. Said to be the third daughter of the dragon-king of Munetsuchi, over the course of years, she has gone from being a protective deity of Japan to one who bestows good fortune upon the state and its people. She was derived from Saraswati, the equivalent Hindu goddess.Catherine Ludvik (2001), From Sarasvati to Benzaiten, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Toronto, National Library of Canada; PDF Download