Curious Ordinary

In Japanese mythology, Ukemochi is a goddess of food and because food is so important for survival, she is still worshipped today alongside Amaterasu at the Ise Shrine. In one myth, she invites the god Tsukuyomi to attend a feast.  When he arrived, the goddess produced the food for the feast from her body. 

In Shinto, the patron deity (kami) of academics, scholarship and learning is Tenjin, who was once a real man. In Japanese history, Sugawara no Michizane was a successful government official during the late 9th century. He was also a renowned poet and scholar. In the early 10th century he was plotted against which lead to his demotion, exile and subsequent death.

In Japanese folklore the gods Fukurokuju and Jurojin are both members of the shichifukujin, the seven lucky gods of Japan. They are also both associated with wisdom and longevity. Jurojin is often depicted carrying a scroll on which is written either the life span of all living things or a record of good and bad deeds.

In Japanese mythology Uzume is the goddess of the dawn, Spring, happiness, revelry and the arts. When the sun goddess Amaterasu was hiding in a cave after a fight with her brother Susanoo, the other kami tried in vain to lure her out. Uzume decided to dance on an overturned tub near the entrance of the cave.

In Japanese folklore there are seven lucky gods who travel in the magical ship 'Takarabune' each new year carrying their treasures. They sail from heaven and visit humans to distribute gifts of good luck and happiness to those who have done their best to live good lives. Utagawa Hiroshige During the Edo period, it was customary to place a woodblock print of the treasure ship Takarabune under your pillow on the night of the 2nd of January. If you had a lucky dream it was a sign of good fortune to come, but if you had a bad dream, the picture was tossed into a river to keep any misfortune away.     The seven lucky gods are Jurojin, Bishamonten, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Daikokuten, Hotei and the goddess Benzaiten . The treasures they bring on takarabune are a hat of invisibility, rolls of brocade, an inexhaustible purse, the keys to the treasure house of the gods, the scrolls and books of wisdom and life, the magic mallet, the lucky raincoat, a robe of fairy feathers and a bag of ...

Jizo is a popular Japanese deity believed to be the guardian of children, especially those who have died before their parents. In Japanese mythology, it is said that the souls of these children can't cross the mythical river Sanzu to reach the afterlife.

In Japanese mythology, Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun and the supreme goddess. All emperors of Japan were believed to be her descendants.  In one tale, after getting angry at her brother Susanoo, she retreated into a cave causing the world to fall into darkness. After much consideration, the gods came up with a way to lure her out.

Susanoo is a Japanese deity known for his unpredictable and often violent behaviour, especially in myths involving his sister Amaterasu (the sun goddess), and his banishment from the heavens. He is a god of seas and storms, but there is also another side to this unlikely hero.

In Japanese mythology, Izanagi and Izanami are primordial deities said to have created the islands of Japan. They undertook a sacred wedding but soon after, Izanami died giving birth to the god of fire, Kagutsuchi. She retreated to yomi, the land of the dead.

In Chinese mythology, Xiwangmu, or Queen Mother of the West, is the most senior goddess in the Taoist pantheon. She was originally a wild tiger woman but was tamed over time and became associated with the peaches of immortality that grew in her magical garden in the mythical Kunlun Mountains. Here she was attended by the Jade Maidens and accompanied by a collection of magical creatures.

My long awaited trip to Japan coincided with a fierce typhoon that passed over the country during my stay in the coastal city of Kamakura. As I lay listening to the wind howling outside and the shutters banging against the side of the house, I began to understand how it came to be that an entire region was convinced that a monstrous five-headed dragon was terrorising the coastline.  

Benzaiten, also known as Benten, is the Japanese goddess of all that flows, including water and rivers but also words, music, poetry, speech and learning. She originated in India as the Hindu goddess Sarawati and shares a lot of the same characteristics. Over time she evolved into a Buddhist goddess and is now included as the only female amongst the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan .