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EBISU (YEBISU)
God of Good Fortune and Fishermen
Japanese Origin
Shinto Name: Kotoshiro-nushi-no-kami
Also known as Hiruco
One of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods
   
Ebisu Icon on Popular Japanese Beer named Yebisu
Yebisu Beer is made by Sapporo Brewery in Hokkaido
Male. The god of fishermen and good fortune, the smiling and bearded Ebisu is most often depicted with a fishing rod in his right hand, with a large red sea bream (tai) dangling from the line or tucked under his left arm. Sometimes he is also carrying a folding fan, and is often wearing a two-pointed hat (I'm not sure what these latter two objects mean, although the folding fan was waved by the emperor in a certain direction to indicate either acceptance or rejection of a request during the emperor's audiences with nobles and commoners). In a nation very fond of fish, Ebisu is not surprisingly one of the most popular of the seven lucky gods. Ebisu is also the only deity among the seven to originate in Japan. Today he symbolizes not only safe sailing and plentiful fishing, but business prosperity for merchants in all trades. In carvings and artwork, Ebisu and Daikoku are often shown together, for Ebisu is said to be the son of Daikoku (see photos at bottom of page).
There is one story about the origins of Ebisu in the Kojiki, Japan's oldest chronicle (around 720 AD). In that story, there is one god named Hiruco. Hiruco was born from the Shinto gods Izanagi-no-Mikoro and Izanami-no-Mikoto. Yet since he was born without any bones he was cast out into the ocean at age three. Somehow he returned to land and was cared for by one Ebisu Saburo.
He overcame many hardships and later became the god Ebisu. He's also considered the god of the morning sun, and he guards the health of little children, as does the Buddhist deity Jizo Bosatsu.
ANIMAL ASSOCIATIONS
Fish, sometimes the jellyfish
  
Left Photo: Ebisu and Daikoku
Middle Photo: Daikoku and Ebisu
Right Photo: L to R are Daikoku, Ebisu, and Hotei
Daikoku at left, Ebisu at right
Above Photos -- Thanks to Robert Yellin,
the owner of the above Bizen pieces
 
Above two bizen sets taken from Yahoo auction photos
Ebisu at Iwaki Jinja
 
19th century, Ebisu, Wood Carvings
Photos courtesy of www.rarebooksinjapan.com
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