雷神是日本神道教里掌管雷,电,风暴的神。他的形象一般被描绘成带着可以创造雷和闪电的大鼓的魔鬼。有些日本家长告诉小孩在打雷时不要把肚脐露在外面,这是因为在日本民间传说里雷神要吃小孩肚脐和腹部,所以打雷的时候藏好肚脐才不会被雷神抓走吃掉。在日本艺术里,他总是和风神一同出现。
Some Japanese parents tell their children to hide their
belly buttons
(or navels) during thunderstorms. This is due to a
folk belief
that Raijin is sometimes credited with eating the
navels
or abdomen of children, and in the event of thunder, parents traditionally tell their children to hide their navels so that they are not taken away. Raijin's companion is the demon
Raiju
. In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with
Fūjin
, the wind god.
