Ebisu and Daikokuten are worshipped as one of the most familiar gods of fortune in Japan.

Ebisu, generally with a fishing rod in its right hand and sea bream in the left, is a god of a good catch. 

*Please refer to the trademark of Yebisu Beer on its bottle or can.

Daikokuten, with a mallet of luck in its right hand shouldering a cloth bag of treasure, is a god of a good harvest.  Since the 14^th century, the Seven Lucky Gods, the so-called Shichifukujin, have been worshipped by ordinary people in Japan.  So, Ebisu and Daikokuten, included in the Seven Rucky Gods, have been worshipped together with other five lucky gods.  These two gods are guardian of Japan’s most important primary industries, fishery and farming, hence they gradually became Japan’s most familiar gods.  In accordance with the industrial modernization of the country, they were regarded as the gods of business prosperity.  These two gods are generally worshipped together as a pair of gods of business prosperity mainly by merchants.  The first photo shows a pair of statues of them placed in a traditional Japanese restaurant.  Ebisu on the right and Daikokuten on the left.  The second one is a mask of Ebisu on the exterior wall of the entrance of a restaurant.  A religious restaurant owner may hope the success of his business.

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