Why Do Japanese Kids Hide Their Belly Buttons During a Thunderstorm? (The “Raijin” Myth)

Last updated: March 20, 2026

The Scary Thunder God

Summer in Japan brings intense, sudden thunderstorms. When the sky turns black and thunder rumbles, you might see Japanese grandmothers rushing to tell children, “Hide your belly button, or the Thunder God will steal it!”

The Myth of Raijin

In Japanese mythology, “Raijin” is a fearsome, muscular god of lightning who beats on drums to create thunder. According to old folklore, he loves to eat children’s belly buttons. To protect themselves, kids must cross their arms over their stomachs and hunch over.

The Hidden Wisdom (Health)

Why did this bizarre legend start? It is actually practical parenting wisdom! Summer in Japan is incredibly hot and humid, so kids often sleep with their bellies exposed. When a sudden storm hits, the temperature drops rapidly. Telling kids to cover their stomachs prevents them from catching a summer cold.

👉 Curious about Japanese summer myths?

The Hidden Wisdom (Safety)

There is another brilliant, hidden survival tactic. If you are outdoors and thunder strikes, the safest posture is to crouch down low to the ground and make yourself small. By telling kids to hunch over and hide their belly buttons, parents were naturally teaching them the perfect lightning safety pose!

A Universal Childhood Memory

Every culture has ways to comfort or control kids during scary storms. While American parents might count the seconds between thunder and lightning, Japanese parents use a mythical, belly-button-eating god to keep their kids safe, warm, and grounded.

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