Shichifukujin

The Shichifukujin (七福神), the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, are a company of deities drawn from Japan, India and China, who sail together on a treasure ship bringing luck at the New Year. They took their settled form in the Muromachi and Edo periods, when merchants and townspeople wanted gods of prosperity close at hand, and they remain the most cheerful presence in Japanese religious art.

The seven

God Origin Brings Recognise by
Ebisu Japan Good catches and good trade Fishing rod and sea bream
Daikokuten India Plenty and harvest Mallet, sack, rice bales
Bishamonten India Protection and wealth Armour, pagoda, spear
Benzaiten India Music, eloquence and fortune Biwa lute
Hotei China Contentment and generosity Great belly, cloth sack, fan
Fukurokuju China Happiness, rank and long life Very tall head, staff, crane
Jurōjin China Longevity White beard, staff with scroll, deer

Some lists replace Jurōjin, who is sometimes seen as another form of Fukurokuju, with Kichijōten.

The treasure ship

The gods are often shown aboard a treasure ship, takarabune, loaded with sacks of rice, coins, coral, the hat of invisibility and other treasures. On the night of the second of January, people placed a print of the ship under the pillow in the hope of a lucky first dream of the year, hatsuyume. These prints often carry a palindromic poem that reads the same in both directions, like the voyage itself.

The New Year round

In the first days of the year, people visit seven shrines and temples dedicated to the seven gods in a single walk, Shichifukujin meguri, collecting stamps or small figures at each. Many districts of Tokyo, Kyoto and other cities have their own circuits.

Collecting notes

  • Sets of the seven gods are made in every material and scale, from netsuke and ceramic miniatures to carved wood and gold. A complete matched set is worth more than the sum of single figures.
  • Treasure ship carvings and prints are a rich subfield.
  • The gods are a favourite gift at New Year, openings and anniversaries.

In the collection

Browse the Seven Lucky Gods, Hotei and Ebisu, and the okimono and figurines collection. Our collector concierge can search Japan for a complete set.

See also

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