Fūjin is the Japanese god of the wind, a prominent figure in both Shinto and Buddhist mythology. The name is composed of two kanji elements: fū (風), meaning "wind", and jin (神), meaning "god" or "spirit". This Sino-Japanese reading underscores the deity's core role as the divine embodiment of wind, often depicted carrying a large bag of winds (風袋, kazebuko or fūtai) over his shoulders.MythologyAccording to the Kojiki, Japan's oldest chronicle, Fūjin was born from the goddess Izanami after she descended to Yomi, the land of the dead. When her husband Izanagi went to retrieve her, he found her corpse covered in demons. Disgusted, he fled, and in her rage, Izanami gave birth to Fūjin and his brother Raijin, the god of thunder and lightning. Together, along with Susanoo-no-Mikoto, they are regarded as the Shinto kami of storms.Fūjin is often shown as a terrifying, wizardly demon with red hair, green skin, a tiger or leopard-skin loincloth, and a bulky bag slung over his shoulders. He holds the bag's opening, controlling the winds to cause gales or calm seas. In art, he frequently appears alongside Raijin, as in the famous screen paintings by Tawaraya Sōtatsu and Ogata Kōrin (the "Wind and Thunder Gods"). The fluttering diaper-like cloth worn by Fūjin evolved from earlier Buddhist iconography, where similar deities like Vaiśravaṇa (Bishamonten) or guardians wore animal skins.Cultural and Religious SignificanceBeyond Shinto, Fūjin is venerated in Japanese Buddhism as one of the twelve Devas (十二天, Jūni Ten) or as Fūten (風天, "Heavenly Wind"), a protector of Buddhist law. He also appears in the Fūjin Gōriki school of mendicant monks, particularly in the Ōyamakō no Ki chronicle of Mount Usu's 1739 eruption. His name is invoked in traditions where wind was appeased for safe voyages or bountiful harvests.Notable Bearers and VariantsFūjin is primarily the name of a deity rather than a common personal name, though it appears in artistic and folkloric contexts. Variants include Fūten and Ryobu. The name also inspired the modern Japanese Air Self-Defense Force aerial acrobatic display team, Fūjin.Meaning: "Wind god" or "wind spirit"Origin: JapaneseType: Deity nameUsage Regions: Japan