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Suijin, Suiten, Suiou
Ame no Minakanushi, Mizu no Kamisama, Kuni no Kotachi
Deity of the Water, the Sea, and Fishermen
Deity of Fertility, Motherhood, Children, Easy Delivery
ORIGIN: SHINTO
But With Numerous Buddhist Counterparts
Last Update: Nov. 14, 2004
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SUIJIN
Stone Marker on
trail at Izumigatake
in Sendai Area.
Courtesy sira.or.jp
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The term Suijin (literally water kami or water deity) refers to the heavenly and earthly manifestations of the benevolent Shinto divinity of water. But it also refers to a wide variety of mythological and magical creatures found in lakes, ponds, springs and wells, including serpents (snakes and dragons), eels, fish, turtles, and the flesh-eating kappa.
These creatures should not be confused with the benevolent, all-powerful, and universal Shinto water divinity known as Mizu no Kamisama (aka Ame no Minakanushi no Oo Kami, also called Suijin or Suiten). This universal divinity is often depicted as a goddess who protects not only fishermen, but also serves as the patron saint of fertility, motherhood, and easy childbirth. This Shinto deity is widely worshipped at "Suiten-gu" Shrines throughout Japan, and votive stone markers devoted to her can be found frequently in the countryside. The Suiten-gu Shrine in Kurume (Fukuoka) is the main shrine of all Suiten-gu Shrines in Japan. It is especially famous to those praying for safe and easy childbirth.
 Not surprisingly, Mizu no Kamisama was eagerly incorporated into Japanese Buddhism after the latter was introduced in the 6th century AD. The Buddhist equivalent, named Suiten (literally "water deva") is one of the 12 Deva, and is typically positioned in the west (or southwest) in Japanese mandala paintings. This Buddhist version, of Indian origin, is rarely the central object of devotion in Japan.
Mizu no Kamisama also shares many of the attributes associated with the Buddhist Goddess Benzaiten (also a water deity), and with Kannon Bosatsu (Goddess of Compassion), who is often connected with motherhood and easy childbirth in her manifestations as Juntei Kannon (Skt. = Cundi, the "mother of the Buddhas"), Jibo Kannon and Koyasu Kannon. Below are some of my notes about this universal water divinity. I would like to thank Dr. Gabi Greve for helping me with my research on this topic.
SUIJIN NOTEBOOK
This page uses Japanese characters. You must install a Japanese font set to your computer to view.
- SHINTO
Mizu no Kamisama (水の神様); Shinto Water Goddess, Water Kami; also called Suijin (水神) or Suiten (水天) or Suiou (水王). Mizu no Kamisama is worshipped widely throughout Japan, and shrines dedicated to this deity are called Suiten-gu Shrines. Votive stone markers for Mizu-no-Kamisama can be found in caves, near rice paddies, and near village boundaries. Farmers in mountainous regions in particular pray to this deity to keep their fields alive with water, or to spare the village from too much rain, which could kill the crops or cause mudslides.
Suijin 水神 literally means "water god." Also called Suiten 水天, meaning "water deva." Also called Suiou 水王, meaning "water king." The Japanese word SUI means water, JIN means god or kami, TEN means deva or heaven, and OU means king.
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Ame-no-Minakanushi
Deity name recorded
in the Kojiki (712 AD).
Courtesy Suitengu
Shrine in Tokyo
www.suitengu.or.jp
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The numerous Suiten-gu Shrines throughout Japan, moreover, believe that all manifestations of the Water Deity in Japan stem from one central, eternal, universal, and imminent water divinity named Ame no Minakanushi no Oo Kami (天御中主大神 | あめのみなかぬしのおおかみ), supposedly the ancestor of all Japanese kami. There seems to be some confusion on this matter, however, as other resources provide different names for this "one" universal water deity. Other common names are Kuni no Kotachi no Kami (国之常立神 | くにのこたちのかみ | the heavenly manifestation) or Kuni no Kotachi no Mikoto (the earthly manifestation). These are apparently equivalent, referring to the same central, divine and universal deity of water.
Even this fails to do justice to the many manifestations of the water deity in Japan. Below are some other common names and attributes of the Japanese water divinity.
市杵嶋姫神・いちきしまひめのかみ・水の神様・弁天様と習合
闇淤加美神・くらおかみのかみ・水の神・龍神様
高淤加美神・たかおかみのかみ・水の神・龍神様
宗像の神・むなかたのかみ・海上交通の神様・水の神様
罔象女神・みづはのめのかみ・水を司る神・雨乞いの神
www.bfortune.net/spirit/zinzya/kami/ (Japanese language).
www.tatsu.ne.jp/i/kami/index.html (J)
www.tatsu.ne.jp/i/kami/amenominaka.html (J)
http://nihonsinwa.at.infoseek.co.jp/english/kojiki02.htm
One of the most curious forms of Suijin is said to manifest itself inside sewage water. The below story comes from site contributor Ms. Gabi Greve, a long-time resident of Japan: "When we remodeled our old Japanese farmhouse, we had to do something about the old toilet. It was just a small pond in the ground, with two beams over it where you had to balance real hard while performing your job. Below you was the open sewer. The local carpenter decided to drain the sewage water, fill the hole up with earth, and level it with the rest of the ground. But before doing anything, we were informed, we had to pacify the Suijin-sama living in the bog. With rice wine (Japanese sake) and purifying salt and a lot of mumbling prayers, the deity was informed that s/he was to be relocated to the wet rice paddies further down the hill. After the water was drained, a pipe was stuck in the hole before it was filled up, so that Suijin-sama, who might have been trapped inside, could find a way out." Gabi-san also discovered a web site claiming that this toilet-water Suijin takes the form of good bacteria -- bacteria that cleanses the water for reuse in the soil. For this bacteria story, please see:
www.bigai.ne.jp/~miwa/powder/suijin.html (also e_soil.html).
(水神様とは下水菌のこと)
- BUDDHISM
Hindu = Varuna (Jp. = Suiten; Ch. = Shuisen; Tbt. = Chu-lha)
Quote from "Buddhism: Flammerion Iconographic Guides."
Varuna is the ancient Vedic god of the waters, the "Govenor of the West." According to the Laws of Manu (an important Hindu text), Varuna "ties the guilty with ropes." He is also called Nagapasa, the "magic rope of the Naga" (in Japanese known as Ryuuson, the Venerable Dragon; naga are serpentine creatures, including the snake and dragon). The Vajradhatu Mandala positions Varuna in the Southwest, assigns him a blue or grey-green color, and has him mounted on a nine-headed Dragon. He is represented in Japan, especially in painting, seated on a turtle or dragon in the midst of the waters (Editor's Note. I can't find any examples of this). Serpents emerge from his hair. His right hand is closed or holds a sword vertically, and his left hand holds a rope or a serpent. He sometimes stands on a turtle or a dragon, holding a rope in the hand, or seated and holding a lotus supporting a triple jewel. Some consider Varuna to be a healer and a protector against illness. The Buddhist deity Suiten is not the object of any particular worship in Japan. In Tibet, he is known only as one of the acolytes of Hevajra. Hevajra is only worshipped in Tibet, where he is a manifestation of Katen (or Angi). Varuna doesn't appear to have been well known or popular in Chinese Buddhism. For more on Suiten in the Japanese mandala, please see Dr. Gabi Greve's Gods of the Elements (E), the Mandala Explorer (J) or the Linkclub Site (J). For photos of the Buddhist Deva, including Suiten, please visit the 12 Deva Page (this site), or the Kyoto National Museum web site.
- HINDU
VARUNA (Japanese = Suiten)
One of the Dikpala. Varuna is god of the ocean.
He holds a lasso and rides a Makara sea creature.
Dikpala = God who guards one of the eight directions.
Makara = Sea-monster with crocodile body & other fanciful parts.
www.art-and-archaeology.com (Dikpala)
www.art-and-archaeology.com (Makara, River Goddesses)
www.skidmore.edu (Makara Photo)
SUIJIN-RELATED SHINTO & BUDDHIST GODDESSES
Koyasu-sama (aka Konohana Sakkuya Hime), the Shinto Goddess of Mt. Fuji and easy childbirth (easy delivery), is revered throughout Japan at the many shrines dedicated to her (the Sengen Shrines; also read Asama). Funadama, the goddess of the ocean, is widely worshipped by Japanese fishermen, and her shrines are niches made in the masts of ships where many items are kept. She grants good catches! Kukurihime is the goddess who brought Izanami and Izanagi together after they argued. All three are worshipped together. Suiten, another goddess, often has shrines at lakes, ponds, springs and wells (so does Benzaiten; see below). Suiten is sometimes said to take the form of fish or large, sometimes white, snakes. Women play a key role in her worship and a few large shrines (Suitengu Shrine in Tokyo, for example) are primarily focused on helping pregnant women deliver safely. < above paragraph adapted from thelema.net >
EDITOR'S NOTE: The white snake mentioned above is most often associated with the Buddhist Goddess Benzaiten, who is also worshipped as a water kami in Japan. Nearly all Benzaiten shrines and temples in Japan are located near a river, lake, pond, or ocean. They almost all have a water well, in which it is said lives a snake, the servant of Benzaiten. The Suiten-gu Shrine (Tokyo) actually worships Benzaiten together with Suiten. Although confusing, it is not uncommon for Shinto deities and Buddhist deities to share similar attributes and appearances. Moreover, the goddess at Suitengu Shrine (Tokyo) shares many of the same attributes not only with Benzaiten, but also with Koyasu-sama. The latter is generally considered the Shinto "Goddess of Easy Delivery." Her Buddhist equivalents include Koyasu Kannon, Juntei Kannon, Jibo Kannon, Koyasu Jizo, and Kariteimo (Skt. = Hariti, the "mother of demons"). See below for more details on these deities, or jump to Koyasu Merging or Protectors of Motherhood and Children.
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Jibo Kannon
Kawahigashi Town Aizumura
Photo by
virtualtourist.com
/vt/58c/4/
This "Jibo Kannon" statue is 57 meters
in height. Visitors can
go inside the statue.
There is also a
14-meter reclining
statue of Buddha
and an enormous
Japanese garden
at this site.
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Jibo Kannon | 慈母観音
Jibo literally means "Loving Mother." Kannon is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, one of Asia's most revered deities, and one who appears in numerous manifestations (both male and female). In Japan, the three feminine forms of Kannon most related to Shinto's Suijin and motherhood are Koyasu Kannon (child giving), Juntei Kannon (Skt. Cundi, the "mother of the Buddhas"), and Jibo Kannon (loving mother). These latter three are patron saints of motherhood, easy delivery, and child-rearing. For a guide to the many Japanese deities of motherhood and children, click here. Since these three appear very similar and share nearly the same attributes, they are easily confused with each other. Many have also noted striking similarities between these manifestations of Kannon and the Virgin Mary of Christian tradition. Indeed, Japanese images of the Kannon that show her nursing a baby are not generally considered of Buddhist origin. Instead, such images apparently emerged during the Edo Era, when Japanese converts to Christianity were persecuted and Christianity itself banned. Says one of many resources:
"During the Tokugawa shogunate period in Japan, when Christianity was banned and punishable by death, some underground Christian groups venerated the Virgin Mary disguised as a statue of Kannon; such statues are known as Maria Kannon. Many had a cross hidden in an inconspicuous location." <quote from nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Guan-Yin >
Another source says: "In Amakusa peasants hid their Christianity from government agents by employing extraordinary tactics. They worshipped Christianity by making the articles of the Christian faith look like the articles of Buddhism. For example, figurines of the Buddhist goddess Kannon were altered so that they could double as Mother Mary. They hid crosses behind statues of the Buddha so as to worship the cross behind the Buddha." <quote from www.town.ariake.kumamoto.jp/kataru/>
KOYASU KANNON (Goddess of Easy Delivery)
第71番：弥谷寺
88 Temples of Shikoku, Temple #71
www.kms.ac.jp/~hsc/henro/f_k_j/kannon.htm
Photo courtesy Health Center Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa Univ.
FESTIVALS IN HONOR OF SUIJIN IN JAPAN
Below list is not comprehensive. This is only a sampling.
- Suijin Matsuri, December 1st and June 15th
On these days in Japan, various locations hold the Suijin Matsuri, a Shinto celebration and ceremony to honor the Kami of Water.
 Kamakura Matsuri, Akita Prefecture
Around February 15 - 17 each year.
Igloos (called "kamakura") are built with a small alcove inside dedicated to Suijin, who is honored during this festival to ensure good crops in the coming year. This festival has a history of over 400 years. See a few more photos here (Japanese-language site; photo shown here courtesy of same site).
- Toshigoi 祈年祭 Spring Festival
Held at various Shinto shrines in early spring to honor Kuni no Kotachi no Kami and pray for an abundant rice harvest.
- Suijin-sai, April 3, Funabashi Fishing Harbor (Chiba)
www.city.funabashi.chiba.jp/koho/eng/sankan/kyoge.htm
A festival to pray for a good fishing haul and safety at sea. All fishing boats from the area gather in the harbor with their flags streaming in the wind, and a "Kagura" ritual (sacred Shinto music and dance), dedicated to the god of the sea, is performed onboard the vessels. An important ritual since the Edo Period, the festival is called Funa-sai for short.
- Suitengu Spring Festival, Kurume City (Fukuoka), May 3 - 5
This annual festival, held at the Suiten-gu Shrine in Kurume City, is reportedly over 800 years old. Participants pray for safe and easy child birth, for protection from drowning, and to ask for the safety and health of children. This festival is also held at other Suiten-gu sites in Japan on May 5th. Another major festival in Kurume City is the Water Festival, which takes place from August 3 to 5.
- Okinohata Suitengu Festival, Yanagawa (Fukuoka), May 3 - 5
Held on the canal by the shrine for three days and nights, with about 30,000 visitors. Many pray for their children to be protected from drowning. Click here for more on the festivals of Kyushu.
- Gion Festival, Around July 25, Near Tsukuba (Ibaraki)
Anniversary feast of Suijin-gu Shrine of Tsuchiura City (Ibaraki). Water is splashed over the portable shrine.
SUIJIN SHRINES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP
- SUITENGU SHRINE IN KURUME, FUKUOKA 水天宮
www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/edo/edo024.htm
Suitengu Shrine in Kurume, Fukuoka, is the main shrine of all Suitengu shrines in Japan, particularly famous as the home of the deity of safe and easy childbirth. The shrine also holds the Anzan Kigan ritual -- literally "blessings for safe birth by expectant mothers." The Suitengu Shrine in Kurume is dedicated to the late emperor Antoku, his mother (Kenrei Monin) and his grandmother (Taira-no-nii-no-ama) who was a priestess. From the tragedy of the Dan-no-ura battle, the shrine is widely believed to be the god which protects ships and boats, prevents drowning, and eases childbirth. Kurume, in a southwestern part of Fukuoka, lies in the Chikushi Plain surrounded by the Minou mountain range, with Chikugo-gawa River running through the plain. There are many old temples and shrines dedicated to the God of Water and the God for Easy Birth. < Last two sentences quoted from The Japan National Tourist Organization >
- TSUKIJI SUIJIN SHRINE, TSUKIJI FISH MARKET, TOKYO
http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyo/546/feature.asp
Along the northeastern edge of the fish market stands a small Shinto shrine dedicated to Suijin-sama, the god of water, who is the patron deity of this fish market and also is enshrined in many domestic kitchens as an essential household god.
 SUITENGU SHRINE 水天宮
NIHOMBASHI, TOKYO
www.suitengu.or.jp (Japanese)
In 1818, a branch of the original Suiten-gu Shrine in Kurume City, Fukuoka, was built in Edo (present day Tokyo), but it was moved to its present location in Nihombashi around 1872. This shrine embodies the Water Deity who brings smooth delivery of babies, protects children, and protects against drowning (安産・子授ける). Like other Suiten-gu Shrines, it holds it annual spring festival on May 5th, which is its busiest day of the year. Benzaiten (the Buddhist goddess of fortune), is honored here as well. She is one of Japan's Seven Deities of Good Fortune. This shrine is also one of the sites on a local pilgrimage to the seven.
 Another attraction of this shrine is its "Dog Deity," said to grant easy child delivery to those who touch it. Some say it embodies Oinari-sama, the god of rice and agriculture, whose messenger is the fox. For much more on the lore surrounding this statue, please visit the Yomiuri Shimbun page devoted to this topic. For the association with Oinari-sama, and also the source of above photo of woman touching the statue, please visit the Kenyon College site.
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