![]() Finally, Raijin exhibits similarities to the Norse Thor, Greek Zeus, and Celtic Taranis. Raijin also fulfills a similar role and temperament to El (also called YHWH), a Semitic storm deity worshiped by the Hebrews. Raijin is potentially related to Leigong, a Chinese god of thunder, and his various forms as well as to Parjanya, a Hindu god of rain, thunder, and lightning. Raijin and Fujin are always depicted together, thus making the two deities deeply connected. In some popular medieval stories about the failed Mongol invasions of Japan in 12, Raijin and Fujin were responsible for the typhoons that sank the Mongol ships and prevented invasion. Under the control of Sugaru and the emperor, Raijin was forced to halt his destructive ways and bring only rain and bounty to Japan-at least for a time. Sugaru then invoked Kannon, the Buddha of Compassion, which compelled Raijin to let Sugaru take him to the emperor. Sugaru first petitioned Raijin in the name of the emperor to give himself over willingly, to which Raijin responded with laughter. When her husband Izanagi fled from her back to the world of the living, Izanami ordered Raijin to pursue him, and thus Raijin came into the world bringing death and destruction with him.Īnother story describes Raijin as a mischief-maker and being of destruction, causing the emperor to order Sugaru the God-Catcher to imprison Raijin. Raijin was born of Izanami’s rotting corpse after she descended to Yomi, the Land of Darkness and Death. Raijin appears in many parts of Japanese folklore. He is brother to many gods, including Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Tsukuyomi. Born after his mother Izanami died, Raijin himself is a being of death. Raijin is the son of Izanami and Izanagi, the progenitors of the Japanese gods. The denizens of Yomi hold great envy and hatred toward natural-born humans, whose belly buttons may serve as a reminder of Raijin’s birth in the land of the dead. This story may stem from Raijin’s origins in Yomi, where his birth was unnatural. In stories told even today, Raijin is said to kidnap and gobble up children who do not hide their belly buttons. These statues are considered some of the most beloved works in Japanese art. While there is much art featuring Raijin, his most famous depiction is at Sanjusangen-do, a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, where statues of Raijin and Fujin guard the entrance. Stories depict him as being unwilling to listen to priests, monks, or even the Emperor of Japan, yet he is very much answerable to other deities and to the revered Buddhist figures known as bodhisattva, who are on the path to enlightenment and Buddhahood. Raijin is more a trickster than a malevolent figure. It is said that Raijin’s lightning, when it struck a crop, would produce a bountiful yield. In Shinto and Buddhism, Raijin is a warrior-protector who brings both destruction and life, illustrating how the two are deeply connected. He is also the protector of temples and shrines. When drought came to Japan, it was said that Raijin was either slacking off or imprisoned, as depicted in one kabuki play. Raijin is the bringer of rain, a boon to farmers. He is always in the company of Fujin, the god of winds his son, Raitaro and occasionally the thunder beast, Raiju. He also appears with a drum, with which he creates thunder. This halo surrounds all of Raijin, rather than just his head, and is marked by plates covered in various Buddhist, Daoist, and Shinto religious imagery. Despite this, he is often depicted with a traditional Buddhist halo, a common motif around figures that are holy or divine. His expression is almost always angry or gleefully destructive, like a hungry demon. With a terrifying, toothy smile, severe eyebrows, and lean, muscular appearance, he dresses in simple pants and has wily, unconquered hair. ![]() ![]() ![]() His connection to Yomi, the Land of the Dead, is part of his being, made clear through his horrific appearance. He rains down death and destruction on the world below. Raijin is the master of thunder and lightning, controlling the power of storms. Other names are Kaminari-sama (雷様, “Lord Thunder”), Raiden-sama (雷電様, “Lord Thunder and Lightning”), Narukami (鳴る神, “The Resounding God”) and Yakusa no ikazuchi no kami (厄災の雷の神, “God of Storms and Disaster”). Raijin is represented in Kanji as 雷神, a combination of 雷 ( kaminari), meaning “thunder,” and 神 ( kami), meaning “god” or “spirit.” Thus, he is simply the Thunder God.
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