Tour of the Seven deities of good Luck・・・
Tour of the Seven deities of God luck is a way of making a wish by visiting seven deities of Good luck .
It is said to have started at the end of the Muromachi period.
The number 7 has been a sacred number since ancient times, and it is said that this tradition began with the worship of seven gods of good fortune, in reference to the painting "Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove."(China called the "Seven Wise Men of the Bamboo Thicket")
The Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove are seven wise men who are said to have held philosophical discussions at the end of the Three Kingdoms period in China .
Genseki 阮籍
Keiko 嵆康
Santo 山濤
Ryurei 劉伶
Genkan 阮咸
Shoshu 向秀
Oju 王戎
The "Takara-bune(treasure ship)" with the Seven deities of Good luck aboard is still revered today as a lucky charm.
It is said that if you sleep on the night of January 2nd with a picture of the Seven deities of Good luck aboard a treasure ship under your pillow, it will bring you good luck.
Ten: A general term for Indian gods that were adopted into Buddhism.
Hachibusyu: The associates of Shakyamuni Buddha. Evil gods and demons from ancient India were enlightened by Shakyamuni Buddha, converted to Buddhism, and became benevolent gods who protect the Buddhist teachings.
Ebisu (Japanese God) -
The only one of the Seven deities of Good luck that originated in Japan.
Divine benefits: Good harvest、Maritime safety、Business prosperity
He is said to be the first child of Izanagi and Izanami, the gods of prosperity in business.
He is the god of fishing and is especially known as the god of prosperity in business.
Nishinomiya Shrine (Hyogo prefecture) - This shrine enshrines the god Ebisu. This shrine is where the lucky man is chosen.
He holds a fishing pole on his right shoulder and a net under his left arm.
His trademark is his smiling face, known as the Ebisu face.
Daikokuten ...
A syncretism of the Buddhist Daikokuten, which incorporates the Indian god Shiva and the deity Okuninushi.
Divine blessings: Financial fortune, agriculture.
It is said that he came to be enshrined in the kitchens of Tendai school temples.
It is said that he got the name Daikokuten because his body is black.
He is a god of fertility who is a combination of the Hindu god Shiva, who is in charge of creation and destruction, and the Shinto deity Okuninushi.
The bag on his back contains the seven treasures of virtue. It is said that it contains spiritual treasures such as longevity, popularity, purity, dignity, charm, and abundance.
He carries a large lucky bag on his left shoulder, holds a magic mallet in his right hand, and steps on a straw rice sack.
Bishamonten ...
An Indian god.
Divine blessings...Financial fortune and good fortune (said to protect from disasters).
Originally he is a Hindu war god. He holds a spear and a pagoda on each side.
He has many yashas(demon) as his kenzoku (disciples or followers) .Among the heavenly beings, the most distinctive are those of warriors wearing armor.
The Four guardian Kings are accompanied by various demons and deities, and each protects the east, west, north and south directions from external enemies. Tamonten protects the north. (When worshipped alone, he is called Bishamonten. When worshipped as one of the Four guardian Kings, he is called Tamonten. He is also a subordinate of Taishakuten.)
As the north is kimon(the unlucky direction) , it is guarded by Tamonten, the leader of the Four guardian Kings and said to be the strongest.
Benzaiten・・・
It is an Indian goddess.
Divine blessing: Wisdom, Financial fortune, Success in competitions, Prosperity of descendants, Music, Arts, Eloquence
She is the goddess of art and aesthetic sense.
A goddess of Hindu origin, she is a symbol of beauty. He wears a jeweled crown, a breast ornament and holds a biwa (Japanese lute).
He deified rivers and, because he was the god of water, Bentendo temples were built on islands and waterside areas all over the country.
He is a Chinese god.
Divine benefits...Financial fortune、Good fortune、Longevity .
He is a god of fortune who has all three of the main purposes of life in China: 1) Fuku (happiness), 2) Roku (career advancement), and 3) Shou (longevity).
He is the god of longevity in Chinese Taoism.
He is said to have originated from a Taoist priest in China. There is also a theory that he is the incarnation of the Southern Star.
He is short, with a long head and beard.
He carries a staff with a scroll called a "kyomaki" tied to it, and is accompanied by a crane.
Jurojin・・・
He is a Chinese god.
Divine benefits: Good health,Good fortune, longevity.
He is a Taoist god in China.
It is said that this is the appearance of Laozi after he became a hermit. He is said to have mastered the art of immortality.
He is depicted as an old man wearing a hood.He holds a fan and a walking stick.
He is accompanied by Genroku(a deer), which is a symbol of longevity.
He is Chinese god.
He is the only one of the Seven deities of good Luck who was originally a human.
Divine blessings: Good relationships, marital harmony, fertility,
He is a large belly.
He was originally a real Chinese monk, and the most popular one is a monk named Kaishi.
He is a god who teaches patience and harmony.
He was called Hotei because he always carried a bag on his back.
Kisshoten・・・
She is an Indian goddess.
Divine benefits: Good harvests, National peace ,
She was worshipped as a beautiful goddess when the Hindu goddess Lakshmi was syncretized with Buddhism.
As Benzaiten became more well-known, she has often been replaced as one of the Seven deities of good Luck.
She is the wife of Bishamonten.
Her mother is Kishimojin.
Kissho means prosperity and good fortune.
She holds a jewel called a hoju, which grants wishes.
