Kangiten
Japonista Dictionary › Ten
Kangiten (歓喜天), the God of Joy, also called Shōten, the Sacred Deva, is the Japanese form of the elephant-headed Gaṇeśa. Once a lord of obstacles, he was won over to the Buddha's teaching and now removes obstacles instead, granting prosperity, harmony in marriage and success in business. He is among the most powerful and most secret deities of esoteric Buddhism.
| Japanese |
歓喜天, Kangiten; 聖天, Shōten |
| Sanskrit |
Gaṇeśa, Vināyaka |
| Rank |
Deva |
| Recognise by |
An elephant head on a human body; in the dual form, two elephant-headed figures embracing |
| Offerings |
Daikon radish, sake and sweet fried dumplings |
The dual form
Kangiten's most important form shows two elephant-headed deities, male and female, standing in embrace. The legend tells of a destructive god tamed when a manifestation of Kannon, in female form, agreed to embrace him on condition that he protect the teaching. Because of this imagery the principal images of Kangiten are almost always hidden, hibutsu, kept in closed cabinets and worshipped through ritual rather than display.
Single forms
A single Kangiten, seated or standing with four or six arms, holds a radish, a sweet, an axe and other attributes. The daikon radish, symbol of good health and harmony, appears on temple lanterns and crests.
Kangiten in Japan
Great Kangiten temples include Hōzanji on Mount Ikoma in Nara, favoured by merchants of Osaka, and Matsuchiyama Shōden in Asakusa, Tokyo, whose emblem is a pair of crossed radishes. Rites of bathing the image in oil, yoku-yu, are performed in secret for petitioners.
Collecting notes
- Images of Kangiten are rare and are treated with particular reverence. Small esoteric bronzes and talismans are the usual forms.
- Temple prints and amulets bearing the crossed radish are an accessible way into the subject.
In the collection
Browse esoteric Buddhist art. Our collector concierge can search Japan for a Kangiten image.
See also
