JNDA# 25-34
| Material | Nickel brass, Cupronickel and Copper |
| Composition | Copper 750 Zinc 125 Nickel 125 |
| Weight | 7.1grams=0.25oz |
| Diameter | 26.5mm=1.043in |
| Year of Production | 2020(Reiwa 2 year) |
This 500-yen coin was issued to commemorate the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
The Paralympic coin features the Wind God. The Olympic coin features the Thunder God.
Number of coins issued: 4,001,000pcs.
Some were sold as mint sets, but the majority were exchanged at financial institutions and entered general circulation.
Wind God (Fūjin)
Wind God (Fūjin) is generally a deity associated with wind. The Fūjin depicted as the motif on this coin is the Wind God, a retinue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon. It portrays the Fūjin from the Wind and Thunder Gods Screen painted by Tawaraya Sōtatsu.
The Wind God, alongside the Thunder God, governs wind and rain. He is a celestial being serving within the Twenty-Eight Attendants who protect Kannon’s acts of salvation. His origins are traced to the ancient Indian Wind God (Vāyu), who later converted to Buddhism. He is primarily depicted as a fearsome blue demon carrying a wind sack on his back, capable of manipulating the winds.
The design for this coin was decided by public vote. The three candidates were the “Fūjin Raijin Screen,” “Mount Fuji,” and the “National Stadium.” The winner was selected through voting via Twitter and postcards. The results showed the “Fūjin Raijin Screen” received 43 percent (28,741 votes) of the total 66,318 votes cast, securing its selection. Mount Fuji received 16,451 votes, and the National Stadium received 21,053 votes.
