Raijin

Raijin is the Japanese god of lightning, thunder, and storms, revered in both Shinto and Buddhist traditions. His name is derived from the Japanese elements rai (雷; meaning "thunder" — see rai) and jin (神; meaning "god, spirit" — see jin), together forming the compound "thunder god.” This name is shared with a prominent deity known under other epithets, such as Kaminari-sama, Raiden-sama, Narukami, and Raikō. In mythology, Raijin is usually depicted as a fierce, muscular figure with aggressive expressions, standing on a cloud and beating on drums (den-den daiko) adorned with tomoe symbols to create thunder. He is often accompanied by his twin brother Fūjin, the wind god, or by his son Raitarō, another thunder deity, and his animal companion, the Raijū. Another storm deity within Shinto is Susanoo-no-Mikoto. Iconography of Raijin appears in many Japanese temples and shrines, where his image is revered for protection against natural disasters.

• Meaning "thunder god"
• Origin: Japanese
• Type: deity name (Japanese mythology, Shinto/Buddhist)
• Main usage: Japan
• Notable attributes: lightning, thunder, storms; depicted with drums