Raijū

"Thunder beast" redirects here. For the Dungeons & Dragons monster, see Monsters in Dungeons & Dragons § Thunderbeast.

In Japanese mythology, the raijū (雷獣, らいじゅう; lit. "thunder animal/beast") is a legendary creature and yōkai associated with lightning and thunder, as well as the god Raijin. It is said to appear with lightning strikes.

Legends of the creature exist throughout Japan, centered primarily in East Japan. Its name appears frequently in Edo period essays and modern folklore materials. One theory suggests that the Nue, a yōkai defeated by Minamoto no Yorimasa in the Heike Monogatari, was actually a raijū.

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