🙏🍀'THE SEVEN GODS OF FORTUNE' (七福神)🪙💸
O New Year's god
this year too
send help!
とし神やことしも御世話下さるる
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶).
Trans. David Lanoue.
As the year draws to a close, images of seven cheerful figures (often riding a treasure laden boat) begin to appear all over Japan.
#七福神 #sevengodsoffortune
The Shichifukujin journey in the Takarabune (宝船 'Treasure Ship') to the human realm for the first three days of New Year.
Placing an image of the Takarabune beneath your pillow on January 2nd is said to encourage dreams.
If you dream of the boat, the year will be a lucky one.
#Japan #NewYear #宝船
In this busy twilight period between the old year and the new the 'Seven Gods of Fortune' (七福神) provide a useful service.
As a group they can pretty much answer all your prayers, from health to happiness, from improved business to improved brain capacity.
#Kyoto #Japan #七福神
The 7 gods:
1) Benzaiten (弁財天 'music & knowledge')
2) Daikokuten (大黒天 'commerce')
3) Fukurokuju (福禄寿 'happiness & longevity')
4) Ebisu (恵比須神 'abundance')
5) Hotei (布袋尊 'abundance & health')
6) Bishamonten (毘沙門天 'warriors & victory')
7) Jurōjin (寿老人 'long life')
In the Muromachi period the idea of celebrating the Seven Gods of Fortune began in Kyōto. It is the oldest of the Shichifukujin Mairi (都七福神まいり) pilgrimages.
From Kyōto it spread across Japan.
It's popular to pilgrimage on the New Year and on the 7th of each month.
#京都
👣😓PILGRIMAGE TO THE 'SEVEN GODS OF FORTUNE'🙏📿
Over the centuries the shrines and temples included in the Kyōto Shichifukujin Mairi (都七福神まいり) has changed numerous times, but this is the current route.
Let's begin with the only native god on the list, Ebisu (恵比寿).
1) 🎣EBISU-JINJA (えびす神社)🐟
Ebisu (恵比寿) is the god of business prosperity, successful crops and abundance. He is patron of fishermen (he's typically depicted in a fisherman costume, with fishing rod and large fish) and workmen, and is possibly the most popular of the 7 gods.
The pilgrimage likely began at Ebisu-jinja, one of the route's oldest sites.
In 1191 Myōan Eisai (明菴栄西), a monk credited with bringing the Rinzai school of Zen (臨済宗) and the tradition of tea-drinking to Japan, was returning from Song China. A great storm struck his boat.
Eisai prayed to Ebisu.
As a massive wave towered above the ship, the god appeared at its base. The wave crashed harmlessly down and the boat was saved.
Ebisu-jinja was built by Eisai in 1202 to thank the god and act as guardian for Kennin-ji (建仁寺), founded at the same time.
2) 🌾DAIKOKUTEN & MYŌEN-JI (妙圓寺)🪙
Ebisu & Daikokuten (大黒天), thanks to their connection to business success and wealth, are the most popular of the Shichifukujin.
It is thought Myōen-ji was created in 1615 by Nichiei (日英) and the local parishioners of Matsugasaki (松ヶ崎).
It is said that Myōen-ji's 90cm tall image of Daikokuten was created by Saichō (最澄 767-822), founder of the Tendai sect.
The statue escaped a fire that consumed the temple in 1969, and has become known as the 'Daikokuten that Emerged from the Flames' (火中出現の大黒天).
#Daikokuten #大黒天
3) 🌊BENZAITEN & ROKUHARAMITSU-JI (六波羅蜜寺)🪕
Benzaiten (弁才天) is the goddess of 'everything that flows': water, time, words, speech, eloquence, music and knowledge.
Evolving from the Hindu deity Saraswati (सरस्वती), she is worshipped as both a Buddhist goddess and Shinto deity.
Patron of artists, writers, dancers, geisha and performers, Benzaiten is commonly depicted as an intelligent and beautiful woman holding a lute (琵琶 'biwa'). She is sometimes accompanied by a white snake.
4) 🤣HOTEI & MANPUKU-JI (萬福寺)🎅
Hotei was a Chinese monk that lived in the coastal district of Wuyue. After his death, around 917, he became a Buddhist saint & was eventually made 1 of the '7 Gods of Fortune'.
Rather eccentric and jolly, he is known as the "Laughing Buddha".
Camellia Tea Ceremony
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