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Dragons Of Japan
Although the japanese dragons resmeble their chinese counterparts in appearance, they are much different in temperment. Japan is a beautiful country rich in are and spirituality and the dragons are a part of that. Beautiful carvings, intricate embroidery, and exquisite sculptures, depict the dragon in many different forms.
Blue Dragon
A guardian of the Japanese Zodiac, the blue dragon represents the East. To be born under this sign means that you are energetic, short tempered, stubborn, honest sensitive, brave, and can inspire trust in those you meet. The year of the dragon is for those born in these years, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, and 2000. Out of the twelve signs of the zodiac it is said that the dragon is the most unusual.
Ryujin
Known as the "Luminous Beast", this great wyrm is a god of the sea and lives in a great underwater palace named Ryugu. He is known as the dragon king and controls the tidal flows with magical jewels. Turtles are considered messangers of the dragon king. This dragon is often depicted with a very large mouth sometimes open.
Ryu
A dragon versitile in the places it can live. He is one of the four sacred creatures of the Orient and symbolizes rain and storms.
Uwibami
A fearsome serpent of immeasurable size that devoured humans whole. It is said in legends that Yegara-no-Heida slay the beast.
Yofune-Nushi
Beneath the rocks of Ohi Island lived a dragon of storms named Yofune-Nushi. He craved young female flesh and terrorized the villagers of Oki Island, demanding that they sacrifice a beautiful maiden once a year to him. If refused he threatened to destroy the village and their fishing fleet. A young woman Tokoyo volunteered and so the people sent her to the coast to await the dragon. As the dragon came up from the waters to devour her the young woman leaped forward and drawing a knife she had brought with her, she slashed at its eyes blinding it. As the dragon reared back it exposed it vulnerable throat and Tokoyo dove into the water and killed the dragon.
Yamata-no-orochi
Perhaps the Hydra of the orient this beast was said to have had eight heads and eight tails and to be as long as eight mountains. In legend this dragon also loved to consume young women.
The treasured sword known as Kasunagi, now held as one of the Japanese National Treasures, is also associated with this dragon. It is said that the hero Susanowo traveled the great country of Japan and in his travels he came across a family in distress. The great Yamata-no_orochi had devoured all but one of their daughters. Promising to marry the last lovely daughter, Susanowo had eight jars of Saki prepared and placed them on eight platforms and surrounded them with a fence that had eight openings. He then hid in the woods and waited for the dragon.
Soon the dragon approached with eyes glowing like red coals and snorting great flames from his gaping mouths. His back was covered in moss and his tails swung back and forth sounding like roars of thunder from the moutains. Finding the jars of Sake the dragon proceeded to drink of them until it became drunk and passed out.
Susanowo then crept from his hiding spot and proceeded to sever the eight heads from the dragon's body and then cut off the seven tails, but on the eigth tail as he began to saw through the tail he hit something metallic and hard. Slicing open the tail he discovered the sword Kasunagi and presented it to his sister Amaterau.-World Mythology_
O Goncho
A beautiful dragon pure white that is said to bring famine at the sound of it's cry. Once every fifty years it is said to transform into a beautiful golden bird.
Benzaiten
The Japanese Goddess of Love, was originally a goddess of the sea. She is the patroness of musicians and dancers. She stands for eloquence, wisdom, knowledge, music, and water. She is portrayed as a beautiful woman riding on a dragon and playing an instrument.
The dragons of Japan although beautiful, also seemed to be cold and violent creatures. They were also more elemental dragons, associating with water and earth more than anything else. The dragon was also used in medicine and magic although not in the same way as the Chinese. Violent or benevolent, either way these dragons are beautiful if deadly addititions to this collection of great beasts.
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