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*''Japanese'': 弁財天 ''(Benzaiten)''
*''Japanese'': 弁財天 ''(Benzaiten)''
Benzaiten, or Benten, is a [[Shinto]]/[[Buddhism|Buddhist]] goddess associated with music, snakes (esp. white snakes) and [[dragon]]s, and bodies of water; her most prominent shrines are located on islands such as [[Enoshima]] (in the sea near [[Kamakura]]) and [[Chikubushima]] (in the center of [[Lake Biwa]]), and many small shrines to Benzaiten are also located on tiny islands in manmade ponds. She is one of the [[Seven Lucky Gods]].
Benzaiten, or Benten, is a [[Shinto]]/[[Buddhism|Buddhist]] goddess associated with music (esp. the [[biwa]]), snakes (esp. white snakes) and [[dragon]]s, and bodies of water; her most prominent shrines are located on islands such as [[Enoshima]] (in the sea near [[Kamakura]]) and [[Chikubushima]] (in the center of [[Lake Biwa]]), and many small shrines to Benzaiten are also located on tiny islands in manmade ponds. She is one of the [[Seven Lucky Gods]].
Originally developing out of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, Benten was adopted as a deity in many parts of China before being transmitted to Japan, where she merged with a local serpent [[kami|deity]], Ugajin. According to the founding myth of Enoshima Shrine, a dragon menaced the local population until one day an island (Enoshima) appeared, along with the goddess Benten; the dragon fell in love with Benten and agreed to become peaceful and benevolent in exchange for her favor. The goddess thus came to be associated with serpents and dragons, and the shrine at Enoshima came to be established.<ref>Plaques on-site at Enoshima.</ref>
Originally developing out of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, Benten was adopted as a deity in many parts of China before being transmitted to Japan, where she merged with a local serpent [[kami|deity]], Ugajin. According to the founding myth of Enoshima Shrine, a dragon menaced the local population until one day an island (Enoshima) appeared, along with the goddess Benten; the dragon fell in love with Benten and agreed to become peaceful and benevolent in exchange for her favor. The goddess thus came to be associated with serpents and dragons, and the shrine at Enoshima came to be established.<ref>Plaques on-site at Enoshima.</ref>