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.

 

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

 

 

Kuniyoshi - (Kakemono-e)   7 Gods of Good Luck (Shichi fukujin), 1846 (Pub

 

Formatkakemono-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)

 

Kuniyoshi - (Kakemono-e)   7 Gods of Good Luck (Shichi fukujin), (Pub

 

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.

Kuniyoshi - () The Seven Gods of Good Luck

 

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.

Pub

 

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: 1st 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 () meaning luck or fortune.  The pine bonsai is contorted into the same character.

Date: c. 1840-1842

Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon

 

NOTE: There were oval shaped gold coins in the Edo period. 

 

Another state of the preceding design, also published by Arita-ya Seiemon

Lucky%20God%20Fukurokuju,%201946%20to%201957,Watanabe%20reprints%20%20

 

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 (hô), meaning treasure, and the character on the roof end-cap is (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

Date: c. 1839-1842 

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

 

I am grateful to Wilhelm Vanhala for this image.

 

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 () in a pot decorated with the Chinese seal character version of the same

Date: c. 1840-1842

Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon

 

 

 

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 )

 

NOTE: “Giga” means comic print. 

 

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

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PART II