The Seven Lucky Gods – A Treasure Ship Full of Wishes

When a small, round-bellied boat with a billowing sail appears on New Year's greeting cards and hanging scrolls in Japan, carrying seven mismatched figures on board, some dancing, some laughing, then this is one of the most popular pictorial motifs in Japanese culture: the Shichifukujin, the Seven Gods of Fortune. Hardly any other symbol unites so much cultural diversity in so small a space – for these seven gods come from three entirely different religious traditions and were only brought together into a shared, harmonious ensemble over the course of Japanese history.

What Are the Shichifukujin?

The Seven Lucky Gods, in Japanese Shichifukujin (七福神), are a group of seven deities of Japanese folk religion who together promise good fortune, prosperity, and a fulfilled life. What is remarkable about this assembly of gods is their origin: only one of the seven, Ebisu, is of purely Japanese Shinto origin. Three others – Benzaiten, Bishamonten, and Daikokuten – originally come from Indian Hinduism or Buddhism, while Fukurokuju, Hotei, and Jurōjin have their roots in Chinese Taoism and Buddhism. This composition makes the Shichifukujin a vivid example of the religious syncretism that has shaped Japanese culture for centuries.

A Late Assembly

Although each of the seven gods, taken individually, is already considerably older, tradition holds that they were first joined together as a group toward the end of the Muromachi period (1333–1573) in Kyōto – presumably influenced by the story known from China of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" as well as by the Buddhist sutra "Shichinan Sokumetsu Shichifuku Sokushō," which translates roughly as "Seven troubles will vanish at once, seven fortunes will arise." According to another tradition, the Buddhist priest Tenkai, spiritual advisor to the Shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, is said to have later systematized the group and assigned to each of the seven gods one of the seven perfect virtues: benevolence, righteousness, material prosperity, generosity, fame, longevity, and dignity.

The Seven Gods in Detail

Ebisu, the only genuinely Japanese god among the seven gods, is regarded as the god of prosperity, commerce, and fishermen; he is usually depicted with a fishing rod and a large red sea bream and is especially popular among shopkeepers and tradespeople. Daikokuten, originally a fearsome Indian war deity, transformed in Japan into the god of prosperity, agriculture, and commerce; his characteristic attribute is a magical mallet with which, according to legend, he spreads prosperity wherever he strikes, and he is frequently depicted standing on bales of rice, accompanied by rats. Bishamonten, likewise of Indian origin, is the god of warriors and a protector, depicted in armor with a spear and a small pagoda as a symbol of the Buddhist treasure house. Benzaiten, usually called Benten for short, is the only female deity of the group and derives from the Hindu river goddess Sarasvati; in Japan she is regarded as the goddess of the arts, music, eloquence, and water, and is usually depicted with a biwa lute.

Fukurokuju, a Taoist deity of Chinese origin, is recognizable by his extraordinarily high forehead, which symbolizes great wisdom, and stands for good fortune, prosperity, and long life. Jurōjin, likewise originating from the Chinese tradition, is regarded as the god of longevity and is often depicted accompanied by a deer. Hotei, finally, the plump, ever-smiling "laughing Buddha," stands for contentment and abundance; his large cloth sack, in which, according to legend, he carries gifts for children, makes him one of the most popular and most frequently depicted figures of the group.

The Treasure Ship Takarabune

According to the best-known legend, the seven gods transform into merchants at New Year and travel together to earth on a small, stout boat with a billowing sail, the Takarabune, "treasure ship," to bring good fortune to the people. On board they carry numerous lucky charms, the exact composition of which varies according to tradition – frequently mentioned are an inexhaustible purse, a hat that makes its wearer invisible, a lucky raincoat, and a wooden mallet of wealth. On New Year's night it remains a widespread custom in Japan to this day to place a picture of the treasure ship under one's pillow, in the hope of thereby obtaining a particularly auspicious dream – for example of Mount Fuji, a hawk, or an eggplant. How familiar the ship was as a motif is shown even in the smallest of objects: the Metropolitan Museum of Art holds several netsuke from the 19th century made of ivory and wood, which are specifically catalogued as "Netsuke of Pleasure Boat (Takarabune)."

Pilgrimages to the Seven Gods

Even today, many Japanese observe the tradition of Shichifukujin-Meguri in early January, a pilgrimage to the seven temples or shrines, each dedicated to one of the gods of fortune. Since these sites are traditionally located close to one another, all seven can often be visited in a single day; at each station, pilgrims receive a stamp or a small figure, which can be assembled at the end of the route into a complete collection of the seven gods. This pilgrimage tradition, which presumably dates back to the 18th or 19th century, remains highly popular to this day and is regarded as a way to seek good fortune, health, and prosperity for the entire year.

The Shichifukujin in Art

As one of the most popular motifs of Japanese folk art, the Seven Lucky Gods appear alike on kakemono, in woodblock prints, as ceramic figures, and in the art of netsuke carving. Especially at New Year, depictions of the treasure ship with all seven gods aboard are a popular motif for domestic decoration, as they are meant to bring good fortune and prosperity to one's own home in the new year. The gods also occupied the foremost painters of their time: the Metropolitan Museum of Art holds Hotei hanging scrolls by Kano Takanobu (1571–1618) from the year 1616 and by Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716).

Daikoku and Ebisu: the popular pair of gods

Among the seven gods, Daikokuten and Ebisu hold a special position: since they are jointly responsible for material basic needs – food, trade, and prosperity – they are especially often venerated and depicted together in Japanese folk religion, serving in a sense as a compact representation of the entire assembly of gods. In rural regions of Japan, it was long customary to venerate both deities together on a small household altar, in the hope of a good harvest and successful trade at the same time. Interestingly, Daikokuten was even depicted on the very first Japanese paper banknotes, issued in 1885 – a clear sign of his deep-rooted place in Japanese everyday consciousness as a symbol of prosperity.

The remaining five gods have also developed their own, often very specific traditions of veneration over the centuries: Bishamonten, for example, was traditionally venerated especially by warriors, while Benzaiten remains to this day the patron saint of musicians and performing artists. This thematic diversity explains why the Shichifukujin continue to enjoy vibrant appreciation among nearly all segments of Japanese society – from businesspeople to artists.

At densho.de you will find hand-painted kakemono featuring the Seven Lucky Gods and their treasure ship – a motif rich in tradition and full of symbolism for luck, prosperity, and a fulfilled life. Those who wish to buy a kakemono that depicts this centuries-old assembly of gods in ink and color will find what they are looking for in our selection of Japanese painting.

Sources and Literature

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Netsuke of Pleasure Boat (Takarabune), Acc.-No. 10.211.816, metmuseum.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hotei, Ogata Kōrin, Acc.-No. 2015.300.89, metmuseum.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hotei, Kano Takanobu, Acc.-No. 2006.115, metmuseum.org.