The Seven Gods of Good Luck

Part I

(Shichifukujin, 七福神)

The seven gods of good luck are Ebisu, Daikokuten (Daikoku), Benzaiten (Benten), Bishamonten (Bishamon), Fukurokuju, Jurôjin, and Hotei. They are also known as the seven lucky gods, the seven gods of good fortune, and as the seven gods of happiness. Their origins are both Buddhist and Taoist. Prints of individual gods of good luck with other characters may be found with Comic and miscellaneous individual prints and Comic and Miscellaneous Triptychs and Diptychs sections. Unless otherwise noted, each panel is about 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters, a size known as ôban. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his many contributions to this section.

	Format: kakemono-e (a vertical diptych approximately 28 by 10 inches or 72 by 25 centimeters)  Description: The seven gods of good fortune (Shichifukujin) Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon Date: 1842-1846 (censor Murata Sahei)
	A later state of the above kakemono-e published by Yamashiro-ya Jinbei
	Another state of the preceding design also published by Yamashiro-ya Jinbei.
	Title: Untitled Description: The seven gods of good luck Date: Publisher: NOTE: This print is exactly as shown, simulating a painting mounted on silk as a hanging scroll. It measures about 14 by 5 inches (36 by 13 centimeters), a size known as chûtanzakuban.
	Title: A picture of Fukusuke’s procession to the New Year’s Fair (Kanô Fukusuke Toshinoichi maude no zu, 叶福助 年の市 まうでの図) Text: 年代不詳 梅屋 福の神つれたつ市の買いものも年のかしらを祝ふ Date: 1830s-1846 Publisher: Ise-ya Sanjirô NOTE: This might be one sheet from a diptych or triptych showing all seven gods of good fortune.
	Title: Gods of Good Luck (Fukujin, 福神) Description: Fukusuke performing daikagura juggling accompanied by Ebisu’s drumming, with Jurojin’s deer sleeping in the background Date: c. 1840-1842 Publisher: Ise-ya Sanjirô NOTE: This print is signed Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi giga (一勇斎 國芳戯画, playfully drawn by Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi). Daikagura is a traditional Japanese performing art.
	Title: Kinsho no hito ni-gatsu tôka uke hairu (金性の人二月十日有卦入る) Description: Fukusuke having difficulty getting the neck wrestling band over his head for a match with Fukujo. The treasure ship and lucky “fu” objects are on the table behind them, and a hexagram is above. Date: 1^st month of 1855 Publisher: Kiya Sôjirô
	Title: The Blessed Gods of Good Luck Playing (Fukujin megumi-hô asobi, 福神恵方あそび) Description: Daikoku, Benzaiten, Fukusuke, and ships with treasure sail Date: 1843-1846 (censor Muramatsu Genroku) Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô
	Title: Fukurokuju (福禄寿) Description: Fukurokuju with auspicious bonsai, character on the scroll is a cursive fuku (福) meaning luck or fortune. The pine bonsai is contorted into the same character. Oval gold coins and hojunotama (wish-granting jewels) are on the ground. Date: c. 1840-1842 Publisher: Tsuta-ya Kichizô
	Another state of the preceding design published by Arita-ya Seiemon
	Yet another state of the preceding design also published by Arita-ya Seiemon
	Reprint of the preceding design published by Watanabe c. 1940-1942
	Title: None Description: Daikoku and Ebisu, two of the gods of good fortune Date: c. 1831-1832 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei
	Title: None Description: Daikoku and Ebisu, two of the gods of good fortune Date: Publisher: No seal NOTE: The character on the building is 寳 (hô), meaning treasure, and the character on the roof end-cap is 大 (ô), meaning big or great. Therefore, the building is identified as the gods’ treasure house.
	Title: Description: Daikoku with a money tree Date: c. 1840-1842 Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon
	Title: Description: Daikoku and Ebisu visiting with New Year’s gifts Date: c. 1839-1842 Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei
	Title: Description: Ebisu with fish and gold coins Date: c. 1840-1842 Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon
	Title: Enoshima Benzaiten (江の島弁才天) Description: Enoshima Benzaiten with auspicious bonsai in the shape of the character fuku (福) in a pot decorated with the Chinese seal character version of the same Date: c. 1840-1842 Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon
	Reprint of the preceding design published by Watanabe c. 1940-1942
	Title: The Gods Daikoku and Ebisu Fooling Around (Fukujin asobu Daikoku Ebisu, 福神遊, 大黒恵比須) Description: The lucky gods having fun in the water Date: c. 1840-1842 Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô NOTE: The size of this print is unknown.
	Title: The Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin, 七福神) Description: The seven lucky gods with children Date: c. 1839-1842 Publisher: Jôshû-ya Jûzô Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi giga ga (一勇斎 國芳 戯 画) NOTE: “Giga” means comic print.
	Title: None Description: Daikoku and Ebisu juggling hojunotama (wish-granting jewels) Date: c. 1831-1832 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.
	Title: The Lucky Gods Playing in the Year’s Auspicious Direction (Fukijin ehô asobi, 福神吉方阿そび) Description: Mice watching the lucky gods at play Date: c. 1846 Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô NOTE: It was said that the goddess Toshitokujin (goddess of Onmyôdô) determined the ehô (auspicious direction, 吉方 or 恵方) for the year. Praying towards the ehô at the new year and making ehô-mairi (new year visits to shrines or temples in the direction ehô from one’s home, 恵方参) were believed to bring good luck. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information.
	Title: The Seven Gods of Good Fortune Join Together to Bring Luck (Kaiun shusse gattai Shichifukujin, 開運出世合体七福神) Description: Daikoku (大黒), whose image is made up of a composite of all 7 gods, displaying his giant golden phallus and holding a golden mallet (uchide no kozuchi). Date: 1842-1846 (censor Murata Sahei) Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô NOTE: This print is listed in in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (1961, Victoria and Albert Museum, London) as series 183. The title may also be translated as The Seven Gods of Good Fortune Join Bodies and Give Birth to Luck.
	Title: Description: Daikoku (大黒), whose image is made up of a composite of all 7 gods Date: 1846-1852 Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke
	Title: Daikoku (大黒), Description: Daikoku with girl and mouse Date: 1847-1850 (censors Mera and Murata) Publisher: Kiyoimizu-ya Naojirô I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

“Robinson” refers to listing of the series in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).

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