Raijin
Raijin: Japanese God of Thunder and Storms
Orin Vale
Raijin, the Japanese god of thunder, lightning, and storms, is one of the most striking figures in the nation’s religious and mythological tradition. Blending Shinto, Buddhist, and folk beliefs, this fearsome deity appears in art and stories as a symbol of divine power, natural upheaval, and enduring cultural imagination.
Fujin: Japanese Wind God in Mythology and Culture
Orin Vale
Fujin, the Japanese wind god, is one of the most enduring figures in East Asian mythology, known for his iconic sack of storms and his close association with Raijin, the thunder deity. This excerpt traces Fujin’s origins, religious meanings, and artistic portrayals across Buddhism, Shinto, and popular culture, revealing how a single image came to embody wind’s destructive and vital force.
