Count: 0 — There are no canonical Japanese gods that start with the letter P when listed using standard Hepburn romanization. For students, mythology enthusiasts, writers, and travelers seeking an alphabetical reference of Shinto and Japanese deities, this gap is meaningful: major kami recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki and the deities enshrined at well-known shrines do not begin with P. Observe that this absence reflects how Japanese names are formed and catalogued, not a lack of divine figures overall.

Recognize the technical and historical reasons behind this result. Old Japanese underwent sound changes that removed or altered initial p- in native words, and modern Japanese represents native syllables with H- or F- sounds where a Proto-form might once have started with p. The modern P sound in kana (ぱぴぷぺぽ) is largely used for loanwords and later adaptations, so canonical kami names—recorded in sources like the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and reference works such as the Encyclopedia of Shinto—appear under other letters. Use Hepburn romanization for consistent alphabetization, and expect major shrine lists and scholarly sources to follow the same convention.

Consult related categories and near-misses when you search. Regional and folk theonyms from Ryukyuan or Ainu languages can yield P-initial forms in some romanizations, and modern or popular-culture “gods” sometimes use P as an initial letter—but these are distinct from canonical Shinto entries and require separate verification via shrine pages or regional studies. When compiling an exhaustive A–Z reference, prioritize canonical sources and then add well-attested local deities; for this specific letter, look instead at adjacent letters (H, F, B) or at regional pantheons where P may appear.