Ebisu, the god of good commerce and bountiful fishing
‘Ebisu’, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, is the god of fishing and prosperity.
The worship of Ebisu is popular with tradesmen and the god is enshrined in shrines and other places throughout Japan.
Saga Prefecture is said to have the largest number of Ebisu artefacts in Japan, with over 800 enshrined.
Kōjiro was part of Saga’s territory during the Edo period (1603-1868), when the samurai ruled the area. Kōjiro had a port leading to Saga, so it is thought that the worship of Ebisu was influenced by Saga’s culture and spread into the area.
Even today, seven statues of Ebisu are enshrined in the eaves of inns and shops facing the street.
