The Battle between the Shinto Storm God, Susanoo, and the Eight-Headed Dragon

Wooden votive tablets called ema were made for display at a shrine affiliated with Japan’s native religion, Shinto. This ema illustrates a tale of the Shinto god of storms, Susanoo, in which he kills an eight-headed dragon with a powerful sword.

Ema were placed at shrines by individuals as personal prayers. They would be displayed in the open air where gods could see them, or hung in pairs, guarding the entrance to the shrine’s main worship hall. The weathered appearance of this tablet results from its long exposure to the elements.