Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
道祖神 (どうそじん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
道どう 祖そ 神じん also: さいのかみ · さえのかみ
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Meanings 1
noun
traveler's guardian deity
A Shinto folk deity believed to protect travelers and ward off evil spirits at village boundaries, crossroads, and mountain passes. Often represented by stone markers or small shrines.
旅たび
の
安あん
全ぜん
を
守まも
る
と
信しん
じ
られ
て
いる
。
It is believed that the traveler's guardian deity protects the safety of journeys.
Kanji 道 road-way, street, district 祖 ancestor, pioneer, founder Etymology The term 道祖神 (dōsojin) is composed of 道 (road), 祖 (ancestor/founder), and 神 (deity). The alternate readings さいのかみ and さえのかみ are associated with the kanji 塞の神 and 障の神, meaning 'blocking deity' or 'obstacle deity,' reflecting the deity's role in warding off evil. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.
close, shut, cover
