Japanese dragons are legendary creatures with physical qualities similar to the Chinese and Korean dragons. Nevertheless, some differences exist: the Japanese dragons have three claws instead of four and they do not always have wings. In general, they are benevolent - although some exceptions exist. Per example, the Japanese dragon has the capacity to fulfill desires.

Some affirm that Japanese dragons descend from enormous fish, although there are no archaeological evidences that justify this hypothesis. This legend continues to be popular in Japan.

Dragons are mentioned barely in Japanese mythology. One of most famous dragons is Yamata no Orochi, a terrible monster with eight heads and eight tails that were cut by Susanoo, a hero who found the sacred sword Kusanagi. Another important dragon is the Sea God Emperor, Ryujin.

Modern popular culture mentions the powers of dragons; they had healing magical energies, were able to fly and had the gift of anthropomorphism.

At the present time, the Japanese have taken advantage of the popularity that dragons have in their cultural universe. They have incorporated dragons into their anime series, movies, and video games; therefore renewing some characteristics attributed historically to these fantastic beings.

For example, in Dragon Ball Z, there is an allusion that the magical balls that are able to grant wishes to Humanity. These magic balls are able to work through the powers of Shenlong, a mystical dragon.

In the Pokémon series, there are different dragons such as Dragonair, Rayquaza and Salamence; each one exhibits varied abilities. The Saint Seiya anime series portrays a hero that represents the power of the Dragon.

In the Academy awarded film, “Spirited Away”, there is a white dragon that inhabits a river and later befriends Chihiro, the main character. Finally, the game Dragon Quest presents a diversity of dragons with Eastern, European, and Asian characteristics.