Ryujin: Benevolent And Righteous Dragon-King And Sea God In Japanese Legends

A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com – One of the prominent and often invoked dragon-kings in Japanese mythology is Ryujin (Ryūjin). As the deity of the sea, he embodies the voracious nature of the ocean, symbolized by his gigantic mouth.

Image credit: Adobe Stock – Menemen

In Japanese mythology of people representing an ancient island nation, Ryujin is revered as the sea god, king of dragons, and lord of snakes and other aquatic creatures. This deity’s origin can be traced back to the Kojiki, an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 AD.

Also in another, more detailed work, known as Nihon Shoki, (compiled in 720 AD), Ryujin was initially referred to as Watatsumi no kami. It was not until the Edo era (1603 and 1868) that the name Ryujin became widely used to address this powerful entity.

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