Dragons in Japan: evil creatures or Buddhist guardians?

Previously published on Minkai.art and reviewed.

In my native country, Italy, the word “dragon” immediately evokes medieval folklore. If you grew up in a Western country like I did, you likely learned about these winged, four-legged creatures from fairytales or biblical stories, such as Saint George and the Dragon. Known for breathing fire and hoarding treasure, they have become a staple of the fantasy genre, appearing in classics like J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Moreover, in almost all Western lore, they are depicted as monstrous creatures that must be tamed or killed, possessing no redeeming qualities.

Dragons in Asia: from Chinese cosmogony to Japanese Buddhism

This is not the case, however, in Eastern folklore. While malevolent dragons do exist in Chinese Buddhism, they are more often revered as guardians of the faith and celebrated as one of the twelve zodiac signs. In Chinese cosmogony, dragons rule the four seas, presided over by the Yellow Dragon King, Huánglóng, at the center:

• Hēilóng: the Black dragon, King of the Northern Sea (winter, water)

• Qīnglóng: the Blue-green dragon, King of the Eastern Sea (spring, wood)

• Chìlóng: the Red dragon, King of the Southern Sea (summer, fire)

• Báilóng: the White dragon, King of Lake Qinghai (autumn, metal)

As Buddhism spread through Southeast Asia, these traditions reached Japan. There, the creatures’ connection to water deepened, influenced by Indonesian and Indian legends that associated them with serpentine ocean deities.

Due to this close link with Buddhism, the kanji for dragon (竜 or 龍) frequently appears in Japanese temple names, such as Tenryūji (天龍寺) and Ryōanji (竜安寺). Even today, most Zen temples feature dragons painted on their main hall ceilings as talismans against fire. A notable example is found at Nanzen-ji (南禅寺) in Kyoto; here, the dragon is surrounded by water and clouds, symbolizing its authority over rain. This power was historically associated with the Imperial family, as the Emperor was believed to possess similar celestial control. Alongside the Phoenix, which represents the Empress, the dragon served as a protector of both the state and the divine order in China and Japan.

Dragons on the ceiling of Nanzen-ji, CriPanzeri (2016)

Dragons in Shintō lore

Dragons are also a fundamental part of Shintō folklore. Indeed, one of Japan’s most famous myths features an eight-headed dragon, Yamata no Orochi (八岐大蛇), as its primary antagonist. According to the legend, the storm god Susanoo no Mikoto (須佐之男命) lulled the beast into a deep sleep using potent sake. Once the dragon was incapacitated, Susanoo beheaded it; its blood is said to have dyed the waters of the Hi River red to this day.

From the dragon’s tail, the kami extracted the legendary sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, which became one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan. Because of this divine connection, dragon motifs became popular ornaments for sword guards (tsuba) and netsuke, as demonstrated by the exquisite examples held in the Sydney L. Moss (MAAS) collection.

Gozu Tennō (Susanoo) and Inada-hime (from the series Lives of Heroes of Our Country), Utagawa Kuniteru I, active from 1820 to 1860, Boston Museum of Fine Arts

The Goddess Benzaiten Appears to Hôjô Tokimasa at Enoshima, Aoigaoka Keisei, active from 1820 to 1830, Boston Museum of Fine Arts

Furthermore, the dragon is often considered the attendant of Benzaiten (弁才天), one of the Shichifukujin (七福神, Seven Lucky Gods). In a notable Edo-period print by Aoigaoka Keisei from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the goddess of music and poetry is depicted soaring through the clouds. Here, the dragon is rendered in the classical Eastern style: wingless and serpentine.

According to legend, the goddess appeared to the ruler of Enoshima, Hōjō Tokimasa, while he was praying at her shrine for his clan's prosperity. After granting his wish, she vanished, leaving behind three scales. These scales were subsequently immortalized in the Hōjō family crest (mon), which consists of three triangles arranged in a pyramid.

Dragons in today’s Japan

Today, dragons are still celebrated as protectors of Buddhism. If you have the opportunity to visit the Sensō-ji temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, during the Jigen-e Ceremony on March 18th or the Chrysanthemum Memorial Service on October 18th, you may witness the Golden Dragon Dance (Kinryū no Mai, 金龍の舞).

This ceremony commemorates the appearance of the bodhisattva Kannon in the form of a golden dragon. The dance is performed by nine participants: while one person wields a golden, lotus-shaped orb representing the bodhisattva, the other eight maneuver the dragon’s head and body with rhythmic precision. The dance is performed three times a day, winding through the bustling Nakamise-dori toward the temple’s Main Hall.

Indeed, dragons remain prominent figures in contemporary pop culture. In Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece Spirited Away, the character Haku (SPOILER ALERT! Skip ahead if you haven't seen it yet 😉) is revealed to be an ancient river spirit. His true form is that of a magnificent white dragon, a direct nod to the traditional "river god" imagery found in Japanese folklore.

The Pokémon franchise offers another fascinating case study. Many Western fans were famously confused when Charizard was not classified as a "Dragon-type" Pokémon. However, as mentioned before, dragons in Eastern traditions possess a very different physiology, bearing little resemblance to fiery, lizard-like creatures. In contrast, Dratini, Dragonair, and Dragonite (all Dragon-types) closely resemble the serpentine, elegant representations of Eastern lore discussed earlier.

Lastly, it is impossible to ignore the significance of Japanese tattoos. Despite the modern-day stigma surrounding body art, largely due to its association with organized crime and the yakuza, Japan possesses a profound and ancient irezumi (入れ墨, lit. “inserting ink”) tradition. During the Edo period, for instance, it was customary for firefighters to cover their bodies with dragon tattoos. These designs served a dual purpose: they were believed to be spiritual talismans protecting against fire, and the process itself was thought to toughen the skin, making it more resilient to the intense heat.

As I noted earlier, while irezumi became heavily stigmatized from the Meiji period onward within Japan, it simultaneously captured the imagination of the world. In the West, Japanese-style tattoos surged in popularity, bringing with them a high demand for dragon motifs.

As time marches on, traditions evolve, and cultural perspectives shift. Will tattoos always be viewed through the lens of criminality in Japan, or will these dragons one day be seen again in a different light? Only time will tell.

References

• Ambassadors Japan website, Kinryū no Mai

• British Museum (Department of Prints and Drawings), Descriptive and Historical Catalogue of a Collection of Japanese and Chinese Paintings in the British Museum, 1886 London

• Kyoto City Official Travel Guide website, Nanzenji

• INGRESOLL Ernest, Dragons and Dragon Lore, Payson & Clarke, 1928 New York

• VOLKER T., The Animal in Far Eastern Art: And Especially in the Art of the Japanese Netsuke with Reference to Chinese Origins, Traditions, Legends, and Art, Brill, 1975 Leiden