Ame-no-Minakanushi
In Japan, the Buddhist deity Myōken has been worshiped since the 7th century. During the early modern period, Myōken became associated with the Big Dipper and the northern pole star, which led to its conflation with Ame-no-Minakanushi. When the Meiji government required the separation of Buddhism and Shinto, many shrines dedicated to Myōken became shrines to Ame-no-Minakanushi. Ame-no-Minakanushi was also a patron deity of the , which aimed to fuse Buddhism and Shinto under a state-sponsored initiative after the initial separation policy was deemed too divisive.