In Japanese folklore, Hachiman is the Japanese syncretic patron for archery and war, incorporating elements from both Shinto and Buddhism.
His name means Eight Banners/Banderoles.
Hachiman is commonly regarded as the deification of Ōjin, the 15th emperor of Japan.
Throughout the centuries, Hachiman has been a symbol of security...
Hachiman has also been credited with safeguarding all past emperors of Japan by defending their honor and fighting off enemies.
Hachiman was seen not just as a god of proactive, offensive war but also as the protector of children and as the deity of the general prosperity that was thought to come from military strength.
He might also be said to embody the concept known as “peace through strength”.
The god of war was said to have a high regard for the Minamoto ( aka Genji) Clan, one of the warring factions in the Japanese epic known as The Heike Monogatari.
By some accounts Hachiman was really the father of the early Minamoto hero Yoshi-Iye and offered that hero divine assistance during his campaigns against Ainu tribes.
Throughout Japan’s history the story of Hachiman has taken root so deeply that the popularity of his cult is shared by rich and poor alike...
The doves are Hachiman's symbolic animals and his messengers!!...
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