Kangiten (Shoten): The Elephant-Headed Deity of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism
Kangiten (also known as Shoten) is an elephant-headed deity who traveled from India as Ganesha, through Esoteric Buddhism, to Japan. Revered for immense powers of wealth, matchmaking, and protection from disaster, Kangiten is also classified as a "hidden buddha" requiring careful veneration due to the intensity of the deity's spiritual power.