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ToCkamiTypes of kamiCulture kamiFunctional kami

Functional kami – 06 / 12 / 2014
daiku-no-kami だいくのかみ 大工の神
dai (large, big)
ku | kô (craft, construction)
diaku (carpenter)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami worshiped by woodworkers and carpenters
❖ Also called seku-no-kami
seku-no-kami せくのかみ せくの神
seku (carpenter – probable dialect word / kanji not known at this time)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
fuku-no-kami ふくのかみ 福の神
fuku (blessing, fortune, luck, wealth)
no (possessive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of fortune or luck
binbô-no-kami is his shadow
funadama ふなだま 船霊
funa (ship, boat)
dama (spirit)

❖ Female kami worshiped by fishermen and seafarers
❖ Protector of ships
❖ She grants abundant catches
❖ Also called funerei
funerei ふねれい 船霊
fune (ship, boat)
rei (spirit)
gunshin ぐんしん 軍神
gun (army, force, troops, war, battle)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ War kami
gyogyôshin ぎょぎょうしん 漁業神
gyo (fishing)
gyô (business, vocation)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Fishing kami
hitokotonushi
no-kami
ひとことぬし
のかみ
一言主
hito (one)
koto (say)
hitokoto (single word, a few words, brief comment)
nushi (lord, master)
no (implied possessive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ One Word Master kami
❖ Invoked during divination
❖ Gives a single word answer
❖ Also called hitokotonushi-no-ôkami
hitokotonushi
no-ôkami
ひとことぬし
のおおかみ
一言主
一言主
の大神
hito (one)
koto (say)
hitokoto (single word, a few words, brief comment)
nushi (lord, master)
no (implied possessive particle)
oo (implied great, large, big)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)hito (one)

hito (one)
koto (say)
hitokoto (single word, a few words, brief comment)
nushi (lord, master)
no (possessive particle)
oo (great, large, big)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
ichi-no-kami いちのかみ 市の神
ichi (market, town, city)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of commercial activities
ido-no-kami いどのかみ 井戸の神
i (well, well crib)
do | ko (door)
ido (water well)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the well
inari いなり 稲荷
ina (rice pant)
ri (shoulder-pole load, load)

❖ Protective kami of rice cultivation, prosperity, and plenty
kitsune are his messengers and appear instead of koma-inu statues at the entrance to the haiden
❖ Conflated with ukanomitama-no-kami
ie-no-kami いえのかみ 家の神
ie (house, home)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the home
❖ (See also kamidana)
benjo-gami べんじょがみ 便所神
ben (convience)
jo | sho (place)
benjo (toilet, lavatory, rest room,latrine, comfort station)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Toilet kami
❖ Toilets are usually not found in the furoba (bathroom, bathhouse)
doma-no-kami どまのかみ 土間の神
do (earth, soil, ground)
ma (space, interval).
doma (dirt-floor entryway)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the doma
kamado-no-kami かもどのかみ 竈の神
kamado (hearth, kitchen stove)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the hearth
❖ (Sometimes called kôjin)
❖ Also called kamado-gami
kamado-gami かもどがみ 竈神
kamado (hearth, kitchen stove)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
kôjin こうじん 荒神
kô (rough, wild)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Fire kami (of the hearth, and the kitchen)
❖ (Sometimes called kamado-gami)
❖ Also called sanbô-kôjin
sanbô-kôjin さんぼうこうじん 三宝荒神
san (three)
bô | hô (treasure, wealth, valuables)
sanbô (three Buddhist treasures)
kô (rough, wild)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
kura-no-kami くらのかみ 蔵の神
kura (storehouse)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the storehouse
❖ Also with different kanji – chief curator of the palace
nando-gami なんどがみ 納戸神
nan (supply, store)
do | to (door, counter for houses)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Storeroom kami
yashiki-gami やしきがみ 屋敷神
ya (roof, house, shop)
shiki (sit, spread)
yashiki (mansion, residence)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ House kami, the worship of which is closely connected with ancestor worship
❖ Estate kami
zashiki-no-kami ざしきのかみ 座敷の神
za (seat, cushion, gathering, sit)
shiki (sit, spread)
zashiki (a tatami floored room, formal meeting room)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the zashiki
zashiki-warashi ざしきわらし 座敷童
za (seat, cushion, gathering, sit)
shiki (sit, spread)
zashiki (a tatami floored room)
warashi | warabe (an archaic regional term for a child)

❖ Child of the house
❖ Brings good luck while it stays, misfortune befalls the house if it leaves.
❖ (See also entry under yurei)
jashin じゃしん 蛇神
ja (large snake, serpent)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Serpent kami
❖ A guardian for safe sea travel, a protector of livelihood, and a preventer of disaster
❖ Not to be confused with jashin (wicked kami)
kajishin かじしん 鍛冶神
ka (forge)
ji (melting, smelting)
kaji (blacksmith)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Smithing kami (and kami of metal forging)
❖ Worshipped by kaji, tatarashi (bellows-makers) and imoji (metal casters)
konjin こんじん 金神
kon (gold)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Metal kami
❖ kami originating within onmyôdô, associated with varying compass directions and believed to change position in accordance with the year, lunar month, and season
❖ konjin's current location in space at any given time was considered an unlucky or taboo direction, since the kami was thought to be violent and to delight in bloodshed and curses
kitano tenjin きたのてんじん 北野天神
kita (north)
no (plains, field)
ten (heavens, sky)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of learning and scholarship
❖ Was the goryô of sugawara michizane until "calmed"
koyasugami こやすがみ 子安神
ko (child)
yasu (relax, quiet, rested, contented, peaceful)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of pregnancy, safe childbirth, and the healthy growth and development of children
mikumari-no-kami みくまりのかみ 水分の神
mi (short for mizu - water)
kumari (share, allocate, distribute)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of water-dividing
❖ kami of the allocation of running water
musubi-no-kami むすびのかみ 結びの神
musu. (tie, bind, join, end)
musubi (ending, conclusion, union)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of birth, becoming, production
❖ Also called musubi
musubi むすび 結び
musu. (tie, bind, join, end)
musubi (ending, conclusion, union)
enmusubi-no-kami えんむすびのかみ 縁結びの神
en (affinity, relation, connection)
musubi (ending, conclusion, union)
enmusubi (marriage)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Matchmaking kami
ubugami うぶがみ 産神
ubu (give birth, childbirth)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Birth kami
nôkôjin のうこうじん 農耕神
nô (agriculture, farmers)
kô (till, plow, cultivate)
nôkô (farming, agriculture)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of farming
❖ Also called nôgyô-no-kami, nôgyô-no-megami
nôgyô-no-kami のうぎょうのかみ 農業の神
nôgyô-no-megami のうぎょうのめがみ 農業の女神
nô (agriculture, farmers)
gyô (work, business)
no (possessive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

nô (agriculture, farmers)
gyô (work, business)
no (possessive particle)
me (female, woman)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
megami (female kami)
ootoshi-no-kami おおとしのかみ 大年神
大歳神
oo (great, large, big)
toshi (year)
no (implied possessive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

oo (great, large, big)
toshi (year end)
no (implied possessive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Guardian kami of grain farming
❖ Guardian kami of the rice harvest
raihôshin らいほうしん 来訪神
rai (come)
hô (call on, visit)
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Visiting kami
❖ A being which periodically visits a community from the other world to bring blessings
❖ Beliefs in this type of kami are based on the view of kami as transient beings that do not dwell permanently in a single place
rusugami るすがみ 留守神
留主神
ru (detain, fasten, halt, stop)
su (guard, protect, defend)
rusu (caretaker, house-sitter)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

ru (detain, fasten, halt, stop)
su (lord, chief, master)
gami | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ The kami responsible for maintaining the world while the kami are assembled at izumo in October: kamado-gami, ebisu, namazu, jashin, raijin, suijin, nôkôjin, ta-no-kami
shichi-fuku-jin しちふくじん 七福神
shichi (seven)
fuku (blessing, fortune, luck, wealth)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Seven kami of good fortune (of Buddhist origin)
benzai-ten べんざいてん 弁才天
ben (speech)
zai | sai (genius)
ten (heavens, sky)

❖ (Buddhist)
❖ (Skt: Sarasvati) – Hindu goddess of wealth, music, eloquence and water
❖ kami of eloquence, knowledge, art, beauty, and especially music
❖ Also called ben-ten
ben-ten べんてん 弁天
ben (speech)
ten (heavens, sky)
bishamon-ten びしゃもんてん 毘沙門天
bi (help, assist)
sha | sa (sand)
mon (gate)
ten (heavens, sky)

❖ (Buddhist guardian)
❖ kami of warriors
❖ (See jûni-ten)
daikoku-ten だいこくてん 大黒天
dai (large, big)
koku | kuro (black)
ten (heavens, sky)

❖ (Buddhist)
❖ kami of wealth, commerce and trade. Most commonly seen carrying a "wealth-pounding" wooden mallet in his right hand, holding a treasure sack over his left shoulder, and standing upon rice bales
❖ Also called daikoku
daikoku だいこく 大黒
dai (large, big)
koku | kuro (black)
ebisu えびす
ebisu (provincial – one who lives far from a city)

❖ kami of fishers or merchants
❖ Often seen holding a fishing pole or a sea bream
fukuroku-ju
(fukurokuju)
ふくろくじゅ 福禄寿
fuku (blessing, fortune, luck, wealth)
roku (allowance, pension, grant, happiness)
ju (longevity, one's natural life)

❖ kami of happiness, wealth and longevity
hotei ほてい 布袋
ho (linen, cloth)
tei (sack, bag, pouch)

❖ The fat and happy kami of abundance and good health
❖ Deity of contentment and happiness
❖ Guardian of children
❖ Patron of bartenders
❖ An incarnation of miroku bosatsu
jurô-jin (jurôjin) じゅろうじん 寿老人
ju (longevity, one's natural life)
rou (old man, old age, grow old)
jin | nin (person)

❖ kami of longevity
❖ A thin old man dressed as a scholar
❖ Accompanied by a crane and a deer
kichijô-ten きちじょうてん 吉祥天
kichi (good luck, joy, congratulations)
jou | shou (auspicious, happiness, good omen)
ten (heavens, sky)

❖ (Buddhist)
❖ kami of happiness
❖ Sometimes replaces jurô-jin
takarabune たからぶね 宝船
takara (treasure, wealth, valuables)
bune | fune (boat, ship)

❖ The ship the shichi-fuku-jin ride on
❖ They arrive in town on the new year
sôzen-sama そうぜんさま 蒼前様
sô (pale, blue)
zen (in front, before)
sama (polite suffix)

❖ Guardian kami of horses
ta-no-kami たのかみ 田の神
ta (rice paddy)
no (possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami of the rice fields
❖ Descends from the heavens (or in some cases, from the mountains – See yama-no-kami) in the spring and leaves in the autumn
ukajin うかじん 宇賀神
ugajin うがじん
u (eaves, roof, house, heaven)
ka | ga (congratulations, joy)
jin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Female fertility kami
❖ Syncretized with (Skt: Sarasvati)
❖ Frequently associated with benzai-ten
❖ Often taking the form of a heavenly woman, a shiro-hebi or a kitsune
ukanomitama-
no-kami
うかのみたま
のかみ
宇迦之御魂
宇賀御魂
u (eaves, roof, house, heaven)
ka (used phonetically)
no (possessive particle – archaism)
mi (honorable)
tama (spirit, soul)
no (implied possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

u (eaves, roof, house, heaven)
ka (congratulations, joy)
mi (honorable)
tama (spirit, soul)
no (implied possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ kami associated with agriculture and foodstuffs
❖ Sometimes male, sometimes female
❖ When male, conflated with inari
❖ Also called ukanomitama-no-ôkami, ukanomitama, ukatama, ukenomitama, uka-no-kami
ukanomitama-no-ôkami うかのみたま
のおおかみ
宇迦之御魂
大神
ukanomitama うかのみたま 倉稲魂 *
ukatama うかたま
ukenomitama うけのみたま
uka-no-kami うかのかみ 宇賀の神
u (eaves, roof, house, heaven)
ka (used phonetically)
no (possessive particle – archaism)
mi (honorable)
tama (spirit, soul)
no (implied possesive particle)
ô (great, large, big)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

kura (warehouse, storehouse, cellar, treasury)
ino (rice plant)
tama (soul, spirit)
* Pronounced ukanomitama, ukatama, or ukenomitama

u (eaves, roof, house, heaven)
ka (congratulations, joy)
no (possessive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
ukemochi-no-kami うけもちのかみ 保食神
hoshoku-no-kami ほしょくのかみ
The kanji for hoshoku are also pronounced ukemochi
ho (protect, guarantee, keep, preserve, sustain, support)
shoku (food, eat)
no (implied possesive particle)
kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)

❖ Female kami of food

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