Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 6.djvu/282

 Hotei. A God of Luck. He typifies good nature, and is represented as enormously fat.

Inari. Goddess of Rice, closely associated with the fox and popularly considered the fox-deity. Izanagi and Izanami. In Shintō mythology the first pair of creative beings. From them the gods of the Shintō pantheon are descended. Amaterasu was their first child.

Jizo. A Buddhist God of Mercy; patron of travellers and those in trouble. He is very popular.

Jurōjin. A God of Luck.

Kisbi Bojin. The protectress of children. She was first a woman, then a child-devouring demon, and finally was converted by Buddha and entered a nunnery.

Kogin. God of the Kitchen.

Kompira. A Buddhist deity of obscure origin, identified with Susano-ō and other Shintō gods. He is very popular, especially with seamen and travellers.

Kōsbin. A deification of the day of the Monkey, represented by three monkeys, one blind, one deaf, one dumb, who cannot see, hear, or speak evil.

Kuni-toko-tachi. One of the self-created non-creating gods.

Kwannon. The Goddess of Mercy. She is represented in various forms, with several heads or many arms, and is one of the principal gods.

Marishiten. In Japanese Buddhism the Goddess of Heaven. She is represented with eight arms, two of which hold her symbols of the sun and moon.

Maya Bunin. The mother of the Buddha.

Minatogawa. The name under which Kusonoki Masashige is worshipped.

Miroku. The Buddhist Messiah. Nikkō Bosatsu. Buddhist sun deity.

Ninigi. Divine grandson of Amaterasu. She sent him down to earth to govern Izumo, presenting him with the jewel, mirror, and sword which form the regalia of Japan. He was the great-grandfather of Jimmu.

Ni-ō. The two kings who guard the outer gates of temples. They are represented by gigantic figures of great hideousness.

Ōkuni-nusbi. Son of Susano-ō. He ruled in Izumo, but retired in favour of Ninigi.

Saruta-hiko. A terrestrial deity who greeted Ninigi.

Sengen. The Goddess of Fuji-yama.

Shaka Muni. Gautama, the founder of Buddhism; usually called the Buddha.