Forest of the Seven Deities of Fortune

The Forest of the Seven Deities of Fortune (Hida Kaiun-no-Mori Shichi-fuku-jin, in Japanese) consists of seven huge statues of Shinto deities carved from wood that once belonged to trees that were over 1,000 years old, near Takayama, Japan.

The sacred septet are important figures in Japanese legend and mythology , each with unique attributes resembling those of the West. Hotei is the chubby god of abundance, while Bishamonten watches over the warriors. There is also Jurōjin , who is the god of long life, Fukurokuju , god of happiness, and Benzaiten , goddess of art and enlightenment. Finally, there are Daikokuten and Ebisu , a pair of deities whose purview is trade and business. Each of the fortune deities also has a specific look, from happy and healthy to fearsome and stern. The representations in the forest capture each of the attitudes of the gods both in the face and in the body.

Each of the figures has a small shrine at their feet where spring water drawn from a nearby shrine is left to honor the deities. Known as the ” water of luck and prosperity “, the spring is said to have erupted from the ground 1,700 days after the gods first shared their divine influence with the world. The surroundings of the Forest of the Seven Gods of Luck with its tranquility provide a meditative environment in communion with the deities of fortune for anyone who wants to visit it.