Shinto kami

, often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (kami) of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () and the (720 CE), as the ruler (or one of the rulers) of the heavenly realm Takamagahara and as the mythical ancestress of the Imperial House of Japan via her grandson Ninigi. Along with two of her siblings (the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the impetuous storm-god Susanoo) she ranks as one of the "Three Precious Children" (, ), the three most important offspring of

thumb|upright|Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith

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thumb|The moon on Musashi Plain (fox) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Izanagi (イザナギ/伊邪那岐/伊弉諾), formally referred to with a divine honorific as , is the creator deity (kami) of both creation and life in Japanese mythology. He and his sister-wife Izanami are the last of the seven generations of primordial deities that manifested after the formation of heaven and earth. Izanagi and Izanami are held to be the creators of the Japanese archipelago and the progenitors of many deities, which include the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi, and the storm god Susanoo. He is a god that can be said to be the beginning of the current Japanese imperial family.

or , also , is the moon kami in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words and . The Nihon Shoki mentions this name spelled as , but this yumi is likely a variation in pronunciation of yomi. An alternative interpretation is that his name is a combination of and . -no-Mikoto is a common honorific appended to the names of Kami; it may be understood as similar to the English honorific 'the Great'.

Japanese kami of foxes, of fertility, rice, tea and Sake, of agriculture and industry etc

Tengu ( ; , , ) are a type of legendary creature found in Shinto belief. They are considered a type of yōkai (supernatural beings) or Shinto kami (gods or spirits). The Tengu were originally thought to take the forms of birds of prey and a monkey deity, and they were traditionally depicted with human, monkey, and avian characteristics. Sarutahiko Ōkami is considered to be the original model of Konoha-Tengu (a supernatural creature with a red face and long nose), which today is widely considered the Tengus defining characteristic in the popular imagination. He is the Shinto monkey deity who is

, formally referred to with the honorific , is the creator of both creation and death in Japanese mythology, as well as the Shinto mother goddess. She and her brother-husband Izanagi are the last of the seven generations of primordial deities that manifested after the formation of heaven and earth. Izanami and Izanagi are held to be the creators of the Japanese archipelago and the progenitors of many deities, which include the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the storm god Susanoo. In mythology, she is the direct ancestor of the Japanese imperial family. In Shinto and Japane

thumb|Statue of Yama (Buddhism)|Yama

extinct subspecies of mammal

is the goddess of humor, dancing happiness, joy, dawn, mirth, meditation, revelry and the arts in the Shinto religion of Japan, and the wife of fellow-god Sarutahiko Ōkami. (-no-Mikoto is a common honorific appended to the names of Japanese gods; it may be understood as similar to the English honorific 'the Great'.) She famously helped draw out the missing sun deity, Amaterasu Omikami, when she had hidden herself in a cave. Her name can also be pronounced as Ama-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto. She is also known as Ōmiyanome-no-Ōkami, an inari kami possibly due to her relationship with her husband. She is

thumb|300px|The Shinto deity Hachiman (Kamakura period 1326) at [[Tokyo National Museum (Lent by Akana Hachimangū), Important Cultural Property]] , formerly known in Shinto as Yahata, is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements from both Shinto and Japanese Buddhism.

or simply Benten is an East Asian Buddhist goddess who originated from the Hindu Saraswati, the patroness of speech, the arts, and learning.

island in Fukuoka, Japan

thumb|Sculpture of Raijin from Sanjūsangen-dō temple in [[Kyoto.Kamakura period, 13th century]]

Japanese prince

or , is a god in Japanese mythology. (no-Mikoto here is an honorific title applied to the names of Japanese gods; Ninigi is the specific god's name.) Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. The three sacred treasures brought with Ninigi from Heaven and divine ancestry established the Japanese Imperial Family. The three generations of kami starting with Ninigi are sometimes referred to as the Three Generations of Hyūga, they are said to represent a transitional period between the

spirit in Japanese folklore that inhabit trees

thumb|300px|An image of humans battling a Namazu

or , also known as , is a god in Japanese mythology, the third and youngest son of Ninigi and Sakuyahime. He is one of the ancestors of the Emperors of Japan as the grandfather of Emperor Jimmu. He is also known as .

Ōkuninushi (; historical orthography: , ), also known as Ō(a)namuchi (Oho(a)namuchi) or Ō(a)namochi (Oho(a)namochi) among other variants, is a kami (divine figure) in Japanese mythology. He is one of the central deities in the myth cycle recorded in the () and the (720) alongside the sun goddess Amaterasu and her brother, the wild god Susanoo, who is reckoned to be either Ōkuninushi's distant ancestor or father. In these texts, he is portrayed as the head of the kunitsukami (gods of the earth) and the original ruler of the lush terrestrial world, .

thumb|right|300px|Sculpture of Fūjin from Sanjūsangen-dō temple in [[Kyoto.Kamakura period, 13th century]]

right|thumb|240px|Abe no Seimei and his (bottom right) before an assembly of god-like demon spirits

thumb | right | Kagoshima Jingu Overseas Hoshoku Shrine , commonly known as , the daughter of the deities Izanagi and Izanami, is a goddess of food in Japan and appears as a dema deity. Ukemochi is referred to as both male and female in different contexts. When shown in other forms, Ukemochi takes the shape of a fox.

Ryūjin (龍神, ), which in some traditions is equivalent to Ōwatatsumi, was the tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese mythology. In many versions Ryūjin had the ability to transform into a human shape. Many believed the god had knowledge of medicine and many considered him as the bringer of rain and thunder, Ryūjin is also the patron god (ujigami) of several family groups.

is a goddess in Japanese mythology who appears in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. She is the daughter of the sea deity, Watatsumi, and the wife of Hoori. She is known as the paternal grandmother of Emperor Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan.

In Japanese folklore and mythology, is the mythical king and god of the tengu, legendary creatures thought to inhabit the mountains and forests of Japan. Sōjōbō is a specific type of tengu called daitengu and has the appearance of a yamabushi, a Japanese mountain hermit. Daitengu have a primarily human form with some bird-like features such as wings and claws. The other distinctive physical characteristics of Sōjōbō include his long, white hair and unnaturally long nose.

is a Shinto kami, and is in Japanese mythology, the father of Japan's first Emperor, Emperor Jimmu.

Konohanasakuya-hime is the kami of Mount Fuji and all volcanoes in Japanese mythology; she is also the 'blossom princess' and symbol of delicate earthly life. She is often considered an avatar of Japanese life, especially since her symbol is the cherry blossom (sakura).

, in Japanese mythology and folklore, was a deity of the bounty of the sea and enchanted fisherman.

__FORCETOC__ Ōyama-tsumi (Old Japanese Opoyama-tumi; Kojiki: or Nihon Shoki: , , ), also '''Ōyama-tsumi-mi'oya-no-mikoto (), is a god of mountains, sea, and war in Japanese mythology. He is an elder brother of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo. His other names are Watashi-no-Ōkami () and Sakatoke''' ().

Kagutsuchi (カグツチ; Old Japanese: Kagututi), also known as Hi-no-Kagutsuchi or Homusubi among other names, is the kami of fire in classical Japanese mythology.

, also pronounced Wadatsumi, is a legendary kami (神, god; deity; spirit), Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity in Japanese mythology. is believed to be another name for the sea deity Ryūjin (龍神, Dragon God) and also for the , which rule the upper, middle and lower seas respectively and were created when Izanagi was washing himself of the dragons blood when he returned from Yomi, "the underworld".

Japanese scholarship deity

thumb|upright|The Raijū as depicted in Ban Kōkē's Kanda-Jihitsu. thumb|A Raijū depicted under the title "Kaminari" in Takehara Shunsen's [[Ehon Hyaku Monogatari.]]

thumb|Kakuryū Rikisaburō, a sumo wrestler, wearing a belt with Shide demonstrating his status as a [[Yorishiro]] is a Japanese word, meaning a (or deity) who is a human being. It first appeared in the () as the words of Yamato Takeru saying: "I am the son of an ."

deity in Shinto; leader of the earthly kami

thumb|390x390px|Amaterasu emerges from the Heavenly Rock Cave, bringing sunlight back to the world (Triptych by Kunisada) is a cave in Japanese mythology. According to the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and the Nihon Shoki, the bad behavior of Susano'o, the Japanese god of storms, drove his sister Amaterasu into the Ama-no-Iwato cave. The land was thus deprived of light.

local mountain gods

frame In Shinto, is the collective name for the first gods which came into existence at the time of the creation of the universe. They were born in Takamagahara, the world of Heaven at the time of the creation. Unlike the later gods, these deities were born without any procreation.

An is a guardian kami of a particular place in the Shinto religion of Japan. The ujigami are prayed to for a number of reasons, including protection from sickness, success in endeavors, and good harvests.

Ame-no-Minakanushi (天之御中主, lit. "Lord of the August Center of Heaven") is a deity (kami) in Japanese mythology, portrayed in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki as the first or one of the first deities who manifested when heaven and earth came into existence.

is the deity (kami) of food and grain in Japan. Originally enshrined in the Tanba Province, it is said she was called to reside at the of Ise Shrine in the 5th century, during the reign of Emperor Yūryaku, to offer sacred food to Amaterasu, the ruling kami and sun goddess. She is worshipped as a secondary kami at Chōkaisan Ōmonoimi Shrine. thumb|200px|Toyouke-Ōmikami (r: 5th row from the top) is a granddaughter to Izanagi by her father [[Wakumusubi, who was born while Izanami was still alive (based on Kojiki).]]

thumb|Yuzen shrine at Atami|Atami onsen enshrines Sukunabikona Sukunabikona or Sukuna bikona (少彦名神, also known as Sukuna-biko, Sukuna-biko-na, Sukuna hikona) is the Shinto kami of the onsen (hot springs), agriculture, healing, magic, brewing sake and knowledge. His name means "the small lord of renown." He is often described as being a dwarf and is frequently paired with Ōkuninushi.

Amenooshihomimi (天忍穗耳尊,天之忍穂耳命) or Oshihomimi for short, is the first son of Amaterasu.

thumb In Shinto faith, Kuninotokotachi or Kuni-toko-tachi is one of the two Gods born from "something like a reed that arose from the soil" when the Earth was chaotic. In the , he is the first of the seven generations of Divinities born after the first five divinities were born at the time of the creation of the Universe. In the , he is the first of the three divinities born after Heaven and Earth were born out of chaos, and is born from something looking like a reed-shoot growing between heaven and earth. He is known by mythology to reside on top of Mount Fuji (富士山).

Kamimusubi (神産巣日, lit. "Sacred Generative Force"), also known as Kamimusuhi among other variants, is a kami and god of creation in Japanese mythology. They are a hitorigami, and the third of the first three kami to come into existence (Kotoamatsukami), alongside Ame-no-Minakanushi and Takamimusubi, forming a trio at the beginning of all creation. The name is composed of kami, denoting deity, and musubi, meaning "effecting force of creation".

, also known as or Inadahime (稲田姫、いなだひめ) among other names, is a goddess (kami) in Japanese mythology and the Shinto faith. According to these traditions, she is one of the wives of the god Susanoo, who rescued her from the monster Yamata no Orochi. As Susanoo's wife, she is a central deity of the Gion cult and worshipped at Yasaka Shrine.

Ukanomitama (宇迦之御魂神 – Mighty Soul of Sustenance - Kojiki) (倉稲魂命 - Nihongi) is a kami in classical Japanese mythology, associated with food and agriculture, often identified with Inari, the deity of rice.

is a gigantic octopus-like monster from Ainu folklore, similar to the Nordic kraken, which supposedly lurks in Uchiura Bay in Hokkaido.

frame In Japanese mythology, the are the seven generations of kami that emerged after the formation of heaven and earth(Tenchi-kaibyaku).

Nihon Shoki ancient character

thumb|An altar to Suijin, located along the Kiso River is a general name for the god of water in Japanese mythology. The term refers to the heavenly and earthly manifestations of the benevolent Shinto divinity of water (mainly freshwater), as well as to a wide variety of mythical and magical creatures found in lakes, ponds, springs, and wells, including serpents (snakes, dragons, eels, fish, turtles), and the flesh-eating kappa. Mizu-no-kamisama, Mizugami, or Suijin is popularly revered and worshipped in temples and continues to influence Japanese culture. Other names of Suijin include and .

, also known as , is a Japanese kami and a part of the Shinto pantheon.

Ame-no-Koyane-no-mikoto (天児屋命, 天児屋根命) is a kami and a male deity in Japanese mythology and Shinto. He is the ancestral god of the Nakatomi clan, and Fujiwara no Kamatari, the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan. An Amatsukami, 'Kami of heaven', he resides in Takamagahara.

Ajisukitakahikone (also Ajishikitakahikone or Ajisukitakahiko) is a kami in Japanese mythology. He is one of the sons of Ōkuninushi and the tutelary deity of Kamo.

Shinto gods of the sea and sailing

Japanese kami

is a Japanese figure who is said to have established Ise Shrine, where the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu, is enshrined. Yamatohime-no-mikoto is recorded as being the daughter of Emperor Suinin, Japan's 11th emperor.