Deities from Japan, China, and India evolved into the Seven Lucky Gods, who are popularly depicted aboard a treasure ship. A pilgrimage of seven temples and shrines, each dedicated to one of the deities, is said to have originated in Kyoto for believers to receive blessings from them all. Recently, the pilgrimage has sparked a boom in shrine and temple visits, with worshippers collecting Goshuin seals as proof of their journey. Discover the energizing belief in these deities in Kyoto, today.
The sacred statues on this kitchen shelf are deities of good fortune that safeguard the old home.
They protect us from fires,
and they safeguard our health.
Their presence is
incredibly important to us.
Common folk in Kyoto began worshipping lucky deities in around the 15th century.
The Shichifukujin, or Seven Lucky Gods, which are portrayed as a single group,
emerged from this practice.
Kyotoites believed the more the merrier when
integrating benevolent deities into daily life.
The trend started in the peaceful
17th century and continues today.
These lucky deities remain a beloved fixture, connected by the assorted blessings they bestow,
such as wealth and commercial prosperity.
I prayed for a long and happy
life for my daughter.
Core Kyoto explores the enduring folk belief in the Seven Lucky Gods
who have brought good fortune to believers for centuries.
Fukurokuju and Hotei.
Juroujin, Benzaiten, and Bishamonten.
And finally, Ebisu and Daikokuten.
These seven deities were unified as the Shichifukujin,
and worshipped as auspicious symbols of good fortune.
Long ago, however, each was revered in its own right.
This Kyoto-fan shop has been in business for a century.
It occupies a traditional "machiya"-style townhouse, serving as both a business and a residence.
The original cooking stove still stands in the kitchen.
Small clay figures of the deity Hotei preside on the shelf above,
where they safeguard the kitchen as they have for a hundred years.
Originally, there were seven, but only six remain today.
The shop owner's wife, Onishi Yuko, still lights a fire and prepares rice on the old stove.
Cooking the traditional way is increasingly rare, even in Kyoto.
She began to use the neglected stove some 10 years ago.
Traditional wood-fueled stoves
were indispensable in "machiya."
I wanted to recreate that experience,
so I removed the gas fixtures.
Onishi is committed to preserving "machiya" tradition.
The rice cooks in about 30 minutes, with occasional adjustments to the heat.
She scoops up a small portion as an offering to Hotei in prayer for the safety of the family.
Hotei is known as both the deity of fortune and of many visitors,
so the statues are facing the entrance to welcome guests.
Soot rising from the stove for over a century
has turned the figures jet black.
We only have six, but if I added a new one,
it would stand out, so I leave them as is.
They always protect us and
remain incredibly important.
Hotei was introduced to Kyoto in the mid-13th century.
By imperial decree, Chouraku-ji was established in 805 by Saichou,
founder of the Tendai school of Buddhism.
A statue of Hotei was later dedicated here,
marking the beginning of faith in the deity among Kyotoites.
The figure was made in the 13th century by a monk who had studied in China.
In time, residents sought relief in Hotei's plump and cheerful appearance.
Later, however, Kyoto was devastated by massive civil upheaval.
During the war-torn 15th century,
Kyotoites kept a small Hotei in the home,
believing that one smiling face would
bring happiness to the entire family.
Household versions are said to have
been patterned on this Hotei.
The statue is a blend of Indian,
Chinese, and Japanese clay.
The clay is hardened, not baked.
It is a rare piece.
Hotei is the sole Shichifukujin to have been modelled on a real person.
A Chinese Zen monk called Kaishi
went from house to house carrying a sack.
He delivered sermons in
exchange for offerings.
So the Hotei faith developed first,
and eventually merged into -
belief in the Shichifukujin.
Having journeyed from China, Hotei's smiling face now watches over Kyotoites.
Ebisu, another of the Shichifukujin, is beloved as the deity of business.
He is the object of worship at Ebisu Jinja, a Shinto shrine built in 1202.
He is also a guardian deity of Kennin-ji, Kyoto's oldest Zen temple.
This came about because Yousai Zenji, the temple's founder, was a believer in Ebisu.
Yosai travelled twice
to Song China.
When hit by a storm on his second voyage,
he prayed at the ship's bow to calm the seas,
and the deity Ebisu
rose from the sea.
According to legend, Yosai brought the Ebisu
faith to Kyoto and built a shrine in his honor.
Ebisu is the only original
Japanese Lucky God.
The stone statue of Ebisu on the shrine grounds was gifted by the townspeople in the early 1700s,
and attests to worship of Ebisu as the deity of commercial success.
As the deity of the sea, he holds a sea bream
in his left hand and a fishing rod in his right.
He adored peace and initiated bartering
to ensure affluence for all.
That led to trade and the concept of
commercial prosperity.
This artwork of Ebisu Jinja bustling with worshippers dates back to around 1800.
A unique form of prayer arose at this shrine.
After praying in front of the main hall, worshipers make their way along the left side of the building to an altar.
During the 17th century, townspeople began
tapping on a side wall on a whim.
Ebisu enjoyed great longevity, and
the elderly are often hard of hearing.
So after praying in the front, worshippers
would tap on the side wall as they departed -
to ensure their requests were
directly delivered into Ebisu's ear.
Yet another unusual method of worship occurs at the shrine.
Coin offerings captured in the netted rake above the torii
are said to ensure the worshipper's wish is granted.
It went in!
I run a business overseas,
so I pray here for its success.
I visit every year when I return to
Japan on summer vacation.
Just like in business, achieving the goal is not as easy as it looks.
The townspeople, not the shrine,
originated this custom,
and it gained traction, which is
typical of religious beliefs in Kyoto.
The Shichifukujin
are a prime example.
Ebisu is believed to be the son of Ookuninushi-no-Mikoto, also known as Daikoku,
the Japanese mythological deity who built the nation.
The identity of Ebisu's father eventually fused with that of the Buddhist deity, Daikokuten.
You have the Ebisu-Daikokuten faith.
It combines Ebisu and his father Daikoku,
the deity of Izumo.
The joint worship developed spontaneously
long ago and continues today.
Faith centered on the Shichifukujin reportedly sprang from the pairing of Ebisu and Daikokuten,
the respective deities of fishery and agriculture.
Honpo-ji was founded in 1436.
The temple was established by Nisshin Shounin,
who strived to alleviate the war-torn chaos of the day.
Honpo-ji is one of the head temples of Nichiren Buddhism, which follows the Lotus Sutra.
The temple is dedicated to the Lotus Sutra chant itself, "Namu myouhou-renge-kyou."
Daikokuten, the deity of agriculture, is enshrined in the main hall as the guardian deity.
Standing on bales of rice representing a glorious harvest,
he holds a mallet for generating wealth and a bag of treasures.
Daikokuten was thus also worshipped as a deity bestowing wealth and fortune.
Faith in the Indian deity Daikokuten gradually
overlapped with faith in Ookuninushi-no-mikoto.
Daikokuten's origins trace back to the Indian deity of destruction, Mahakala,
who was introduced first to China as a guardian deity of Buddhism,
then later, in the 9th century, to Japan.
Since the kanji characters used in the names of the Shinto deity Daikoku
and the Buddhist deity Daikokuten are homonyms,
the two merged into one in the minds of the faithful around the 15th century.
This rare rendition of Daikokuten carrying a bag and small mallet
is said to have been painted by Nisshin himself.
Daikokuten's following sprang from the blessings he confers in this world,
which differed from the Amida Buddha Pure Land belief promising entrance to Paradise in the afterworld.
Praying to Amida with "Namu Amida Butsu"
ensures entry into the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Not so with
"Namu myoho renge kyo."
Fervent chanting of the Lotus Sutra
brings happiness while you are alive.
And Daikokuten is an integral part
of the faith to this day.
The garden of Sonyo-in, a sub-temple of Honpo-ji,
houses a statue of Daikokuten donated by merchants.
Vacant for many years, the temple was revived in 2007.
Butterflies and flora were later painted on the ceiling believed to help relieve human pain and suffering.
Sonyo-in also houses a 30-cm wooden statue of Daikokuten.
Some 250 years ago, the Yagura family of wealthy
textile dyers commissioned this Daikokuten -
and consecrated it
when the temple was rebuilt.
After that, the statue was apparently shared
among homes, including those of ordinary folk.
Everyone would rub the statue in prayer,
turning the head and bale into a lustrous black.
The deity of good fortune, Daikokuten, was revered by all, regardless of class.
On this day, Itami takes the statue in hand to give worshippers a rare chance to it view up close.
I can't believe
we can see it close-up.
She wants the worshippers to touch the statue as devotees did long ago.
I hope this serendipitous encounter
will bring you happiness.
A wonderful facial expression.
All I did was touch it, yet I received a
sense of fulfillment and contentment.
I'm filled with gratitude.
This might sound disrespectful,
but he seems like a sweet grandfatherly sort.
He warmed my heart.
Daikokuten was paired with Ebisu in the 16th century, increasing devotion to both deities.
Bishamonten, also dedicated to commerce, is another of the Shichifukujin.
Originally from India, he was introduced to Japan in the 8th century as a warrior deity protecting Buddhism.
Initially considered a guardian of the capital,
Bishamonten was later embraced as a deity who conferred good fortune.
The area around this Buddhist temple was a major transportation hub,
historically attracting merchants and bustling markets.
By the late 12th century, Bishamonten had become associated with wealth,
and word had spread that one could get rich by simply praying to him.
This enabled the deity's smooth integration into the Shichifukujin.
The seven deities were intertwined by folk belief, and by the 17th century,
it was becoming popular to visit shrines and temples in the capital that honored them.
The oldest route is said to be the Miyako Shichifukujin Pilgrimage.
Kodo Gyogan-ji is one stop on the route.
Built in 1004, the main hall houses the thousand-armed Kannon bodhisattva of mercy.
Takagi Masae is a Kyoto tour guide whose career spans over three decades.
She has led bus pilgrimages honoring the Shichifukujin during that time.
Although the tours are conducted in January, Takagi visits at other times of the year
to gather new information on the route and other points of interest.
This is Jurojin, a deity
associated with longevity.
Juroujin originated as a Taoist deity known as the Old Man of the South Pole
and is worshipped for his power to confer long life.
Takagi has kept notebooks of all the information she has gathered over the years.
Clients ask me different
questions each year,
so I seek accurate and updated
information from the places of worship.
I enjoy it and feel I'm also providing
happiness to my tour participants.
Sekizanzen-in was founded in 888.
A sub-temple of Enryaku-ji on nearby Mt. Hiei,
it is another stop on the Miyako Shichifukujin Pilgrimage.
Seven statues representing each deity welcome worshippers to the temple.
A small statue of one of the lucky deities is enshrined in the hall.
Fukurokuju is the personification of the Southern Polar Star.
He is fondly known as a deity of commercial success and longevity.
Takagi is briefed by a monk she has known for years.
Fukurokuju's elongated head symbolizes that
he has accumulated much wisdom as an elder.
How tall is this Fukurokuju?
The principal object is about 20 centimeters.
It's the beautiful sculpture in the very back.
Recent years have seen a change in the tour demographics.
The participants used to be
mostly older men and women,
but these days, we have
many enthusiastic young women.
So we remain equally devoted
as guides.
It is important to respond to
questions with satisfying answers.
It is wonderful that she studies
so hard to please the visitors.
These wooden Fukurokuju figures contain paper fortunes.
Takagi tries her luck.
I got it out.
- Did it turn out well?
- Yes, it did.
A half blessing.
Takagi's own experiences makes her a better guide.
The Shichifukujin Pilgrimage
has quite a long history,
and I plan to keep it alive.
Fushimi is a renowned sake-producing area of Kyoto.
This temple's principal deity is the female Benzaiten, also known as a guardian of water.
Founded in 1699, Choken-ji is located near a dock,
so back in the day, boat travelers would pray here for safety.
Travelers petitioned for safe arrival
at their destination,
and for smooth and
prosperous business.
This temple brings good fortune.
The principal image is a hidden Buddha, displayed only once every 12 years.
Special viewing privileges were granted on this day.
This eight-armed statue of Benzaiten is said to have been created around the 9th century.
Originating in India, Benzaiten is the deity of success in life and advancement of the arts.
In Japan, she became popular with merchants
who took up the performing arts to better their professional relationships.
Ugajin, a deity of good fortune in folk belief, is depicted in front of Benzaiten.
Ugajin who is sometimes paired with Benzaiten takes the form of a serpent,
which is believed to be Benzaiten's messenger.
Benzaiten still receives visits from worshippers wanting their hopes fulfilled.
I prayed for a long, happy life for my daughter
in her upcoming marriage,
and that my younger child
will find a good match.
I prayed for a happy life.
The Shichifukujin have long been worshipped for the good fortune they confer.
They are sustained by a faith which transcends class and time.