Ebessan



Ebisu
at Yanagihara Hiruko Jinja Shrine(柳原蛭子神社)

Ebisu is regarded as the god who brings people success in business and the safety of their families and is affectionately called Ebessan(えべっさん) in the Kansai area.

Ebisu holds a rod with his right hand and a red sea bream under his left arm.




Yanagihara Hiruko Shrine


Toka-Ebisu(十日えびす) is a festival to pray for the prosperity of business and is being held at the shrines dedicated to Ebisu from January 9th to 11th.

Nishinomiya Shrine

 Strong voices call out the well-known phrase, "Shobai-hanjo de sasa mottekoi!(商売繁盛でササ持って来い)" at the shrines.




kumade(熊手,bamboo rake) with  good luck charms
at Yanagihara Hiruko Jinja Shrine(柳原蛭子神社)


 There are several possible meanings of the phrase.
"Ebisu will let you succeed in business if you bring a bamboo branch."
"If you want to succeed in business, offer sake(alcoholic beverages) to Ebisu."
"If you succeeded in business by the grace of Ebisu, offer sake(alcoholic beverages) to Ebisu."


Ebisu and Daikoku masks,
shrine maidens of  Nishinomiya Shrine

 
Nishinomiya Jinja Shrine(西宮神社) in Nishinomiya City of Hyogo Prefecture is the head shrine that is dedicated to Ebisu.



good luck charms

An annual race to determine this year's lucky man called "fuku-otoko" was held on the January 10th at the Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo Prefecture.

prayer at
Yanagihara Hiruko Jinja Shrine(柳原蛭子神社)

As soon as the main gate was opened at six in the morning of January 10th, 1300 men rushed into the main hall to win laurels as "Lucky Man". A 21-year-old university student won the race this year.




at Harimano-kuni sosha(播磨国総社)
in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture

 Fuku-musume(福娘:Lucky Girls) bestow a moso bamboo branch on visitors and attach a talisman and auspicious objects called kiccho(吉兆)  for the three days.

Fuku-musume girls wear golden headgears called eboshi(烏帽子).


at Inazumehama Ebisu Jinja(稲爪浜恵比須神社)

 An annual contest to select fuku-musume starts in October and prize winners are selected from among applicants in late November.

prayer by fuku-musume
 at Iwaya Jinja Shrine(岩屋神社)

Unmarried women between the ages of 18 and 23 can enter the contest. Fifty fuku-musume girls of this year including 10 foreign students were selected from among 2984 applicants.

fukuzasa at Nishinomiya Shrine

 Fukuzasa or fukusasa(福笹) is a lucky bamboo branch with auspicious objects called kiccho(吉兆).


Gohei at Nishinomiya Shrine


Gohei (御幣) are wooden wands with two zigzag  paper streamers used in Shinto rituals.


okakedai at Nishinomiya Shrine


Pairs of dried red sea breams called okakedai(御掛鯛) are offered to the god.



tuna at Nishinomiya Shrine


Visitors put money offerings on a tuna to attract good fortune.


tuna at Iwaya Jinja Shrine(岩屋神社)


The establishment of Kobe Central Wholesale Market East Division in 1969 inspired a fish offering to the shrine. In 1970, a tuna and a red sea bream were offerred to the shrine.



Hoekago procession
at Harimano-kuni sosha in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture

Hoekago procession(宝恵駕籠行列, Hoekago Gyoretsu) parades. The parade dates back to the middle of the 18th century when dressed geisha visited the shrine on palanquins.


Hoekago procession






Hoekago procession



Hoekago procession





Hoekago procession



Harimano-kuni sosha

 Fuku-musume girls say their prayers and bestow a talisman called shinpu (神符) on street shops. This shrine's shinpu is a piece of wood with the shrine's name and phrases used for prayers written on it.




Harimano-kuni sosha

 breaking open a ceremonial sake barrel

 
 
photo by 神戸観光壁紙写真集