Twelve Devas

The Twelve Devas or Juniten (Japanese: 十二天, Jūniten or Japanese: 十二大天衆, Jūnidaitenju) are twelve Japanese Buddhist guardian deities (devas or ten), associated with directions and celestial bodies. They are essentially Hindu gods, incorporated in Japanese Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyō). Initially, the group consisted of eight deities called Happoten or Happouten (Japanese: 八方天), associated with the four cardinal and four semi-cardinal directions. Later, the deities of Heaven (Zenith) and Earth (Nadir) were added, making the group of ten – Jitten (Japanese: 十天). Finally, the Sun and the Moon deities joined the group to form the Twelve Devas. The Twelve Devas are depicted together in a group, generally in paintings on folding screens which are used in esoteric rituals.