This list includes 7 Japanese gods that start with J, from “Jikokuten” to “Jūrōjin”. It groups major Shinto kami, Buddhist figures absorbed into Japanese belief, and regional folk gods. Useful for students, writers, and travelers seeking a concise, alphabetical reference.
Japanese gods that start with J are deities or spirits whose names begin with the letter J in Hepburn romanization. Many, like Jūrōjin and Jikokuten, reflect Japan’s blending of Shinto and Buddhist beliefs.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Romanization, Domain, Symbols, and Notes.
Name: The deity’s common English or anglicized Japanese name, so you can quickly identify entries and match them to sources.
Romanization: The Hepburn romanization of the name, so you can pronounce it and alphabetize entries consistently.
Domain: A concise phrase describing the deity’s main sphere of influence, helping you find gods by function.
Symbols: One to three common iconographic items associated with the deity, useful for visual identification and research.
Notes: Short context such as origin, shrine associations, and festival links to help you place each deity culturally.
Japanese gods that start with J
| Name | Japanese | Domain | Symbols | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jikokuten | 持国天（じこくてん） | guardian, east | sword, armor | One of the Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) in Buddhist tradition adopted into Japanese ritual life; protector of the eastern direction and temple precincts, invoked for defense and order. |
| Jimmu | 神武天皇（じんむてんのう） | imperial founder, nation | bow, imperial regalia | Legendary first emperor of Japan recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki; later deified as a kami and central to imperial origin myths and national identity. |
| Jingū | 神功皇后（じんぐうこうごう） | war, sea, regency | spear, armor | Semi-legendary imperial regent famed for a miraculous overseas campaign in medieval chronicles; venerated at regional shrines and sometimes worshiped as a protective kami. |
| Jin-no-kami | 地の神（じのかみ／じんのかみ） | earth, land | boundary stone, small shrine | Generic term for local earth or land deities worshiped across Japan; guardians of fields, slopes, and village boundaries with many local names and rites. |
| Jinushigami | 地主神（じぬしがみ／じぬし） | land guardian | stones, torii | The specific guardian kami of a plot of land or estate; honored with boundary stones, small roadside shrines, and household rituals by farmers and villagers. |
| Jizō | 地蔵（じぞう／じぞうぼさつ） | travelers, children, afterlife | staff, red bib | Beloved bodhisattva in Japanese folk religion, widely venerated as protector of children, travelers, and the souls of the dead; common as roadside statues and temple figures. |
| Jūrōjin | 寿老人（じゅろうじん） | longevity, good fortune | staff, scroll | One of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) in Japan, adopted from East Asian Daoist figures; popularly worshiped as a kindly god of long life and wisdom. |