1.07.2008

The Seven Lucky Gods

Last Sunday, I visited Ryusenji Temple, which is also known as Meguro Fudoson. The temple has divine waters spouting from dragon heads into a small pond where a statue of a fudo, or firegod, stands. The thing to do is take a ladel from the nearby fountain and splash the god with water.

I also learned that Meguro Fudoson is also one of the temples in the Yamanote area that houses one of the Shichifukujin, or seven lucky gods. I got a free map showing the route to all seven temples, and I plan to walk it one day in the near future in order to collect the god figurines pictured above. The little dolls strike a remarkable resemblance to the old Weeble Wobbles, but I don't think they bounce back up if you try to knock them over. Ryusenji sells Ebisu, the god that the temple houses. It should be a good way to fill an afternoon, and it will give me something to put on my mantle. . . for the day that I have a mantle.