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The Zoshigaya Seven Lucky Gods

Although located in the suburbs of Ikebukuro, Tokyo

Zoshigaya, with its greenery and emotional landscape, is

Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan

The area has been registered as a Future Heritage site.

The Zoshigaya Seven Lucky Gods are

The town was established as a town revitalization project in

and culture across Toshima and Bunkyo wards.

The Seven Gods of Good Fortune Tour is a tour of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune.

Seiryuin and Bishamonten

Shichifukujin is the collective name for seven deities: Daikokuten, Bishamonten, Ebisuten, Kisshoten(Jurojin), Fukurokuju, Benzaiten, and Hoteison.

It is said that worshippers of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune will be rid of seven kinds of misfortune and receive seven kinds of happiness.

Among them, Bishamonten is a warrior god who is one of the Four Heavenly Kings in Buddhism, along with Jikokuten, Zocho-ten, and Hiromokuten.
In India, Bishamonten was originally regarded as a god of treasure. In the process of its transmission from Central Asia to China, it became a god of war and a guardian deity.
He was revered as a god of military fortune that bestowed immense virtue and courage, and became one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune by bestowing fortune, treasure, and wealth along with victory in opening the door to fortune.
It is said that the belief in the Seven Gods of Good Fortune began in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), but it was not until the Edo period (1603-1868) that they became popular in their present form.

It is said that Bishamonten has been residing at this temple for more than 400 years.

The statue of Bishamonten (Bishamonten) in Seiryuin is a designated cultural property of Toshima City and is registered as a Future Heritage of Japan by the Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.

Ebis God

Otori Shrine
Founded in 1712 as a god to ward off pox. Since then, it has been revered as the guardian deity of Zoshigaya. The rooster market, which has been held since the Edo period, is one of Zoshigaya's most popular festivals. According to the local history, Ebisu-god was enshrined at the time of its establishment.
3-20-14 Zoshigaya, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Daikokuten

Zoshigaya Kishimojin
The grand hall consisting of a hall of worship, an altar, an altar room, and a main hall stands firmly in a deep grove of trees, and has a sense of history and prestige, having been used by the shogun in the late Edo period. Daikokuten, enshrined in Daikokudo Hall, is the husband of Kishimojin.
3-15-20 Zoshigaya, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Benzaiten

Ganjoin Temple
In the past, it was a plum grove. Inside the hall was the Tenjindo Hall, where Kiyomasa Kato offered a sacred object to the deity and fulfilled his duties during the Bunroku and Keicho wars. The statue was returned to this site in later years, but the original plum grove was reclaimed and this temple was established. The temple enshrines Benzaiten, the god of prayer for the improvement of one's art.
3-5-7 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Hoteison

Nakano Building
The Nakano family hails from Shodoshima, the stone supply area for Osaka Castle, and the seventh generation of the Nakano family protected Hotei, the Buddhist image of Hotei, and was responsible for the construction of the Nijubashi Bridge at the Imperial Palace, the Diet Building, and other stone structures. Although the statue of Hoteison was destroyed in the war, it is now a symbol of the reconstruction of Ikebukuro and is well known in the community.
2-12-5 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Fukurokuju

Sengyoji Temple
Founded in the early Edo period (1603-1868), the temple was renamed Sengyoji Temple after the merger of Zenkoin Temple in Koishikawa and Hakusan and the neighboring Sen'oin Temple. All the buildings were destroyed in the war, but only the stone statue of Jogyosatsutsu (Bodhisattva) remains. A wooden statue of Myoho Fukurokuju is enshrined.
2-20-4 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Kisshoten(Jurojin)

Seido Kishimojin
The statue of Kishimojin enshrined in Zoshigaya Kishimojin Hall was excavated from this place in Seido. The name "Seido Apparition Hall" comes from this place, but locals call it "Seido Kishimojin" out of affection. Kichijoten is the daughter deity of this Kishimojin.
2-14-9 Mejirodai, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo

Bishamonten

Seiryuin
Founded about 770 years ago as Seiryuji Temple of the Shingon sect. Later changed to Seiryuin of the Nichiren sect when Unsui, who saved the village from a plague, left a statue of Nichiren Shonin at the temple. The temple was revered as a place to pray for rain and skin diseases. The wooden statue of Bishamonten (Bishamonten) is a designated cultural property of Toshima Ward.
4-25-6 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Zoshigaya Seven Lucky Gods Tour Guide