Daikoku: Discovery of the Japanese God of Wealth
If you're a fan of Japan, you've probably already heard of Daikoku (or Daikokuten, in the long version).
This Japanese deity, associated with luck and prosperity, is in fact one of the most popular in Japanese culture. Between Tokyo and Osaka, you will find it almost everywhere in the temples of the Japanese archipelago.
But in fact, has Daikoku always been so well regarded?
What is his story ? And its origins?
What message does it carry and how can I benefit from it?
We will now answer all these questions together.
Contents :
So who is Daikoku?
Over time, Daikoku's responsibilities have only increased.
To get straight to the heart of the matter, here is a list of professions and activities placed under its protection :
- crafts
- agriculture and milling
- Japanese cuisine
- food (especially stores and supermarkets)
- trade
- cleaning and maintenance of buildings
- the banking and financial sectors
We see through these patronages that Daikoku is seen as a “practical” character associated with the tasks of daily life. Images and sound representations are often displayed in the kitchens and maintenance rooms of Japanese temples.
Its connection with food is undoubtedly the strongest. Many sushi restaurants devote a particular cult to it, as do makers of sake or mosi soup.
In terms of how he is represented, Daikoku is often shown wearing a hat on his head and a large bag on his shoulder. He also holds a wooden mallet in one of his hands and is often accompanied by gold coins.
According to legend, his mallet is actually a magical tool known as “Uchide-no-Kozuchi”. Daikoku would use it to literally “create wealth” and grant the wishes of children who ask him.
Another element associated with wealth, its benevolent facial expression, described in Japan under the name “ fukutokuso ”, further underlines this trait of the divinity.
Sometimes also, representations of Daikoku show him accompanied by rats. Contrary to the image we may have, these animals are seen in Asia more as signs of prosperity. (If there are rats in a village, it also means there is grain and food.)
It’s clear: Japanese mythology is truly fascinating. If you are looking for objects and accessories from this ancient culture, click on the link to discover our collection dedicated to the land of the rising Sun.
History and origins
The origins of Daikoku are actually much debated, even by historians.
The majority view is that it derived from a Hindu deity known as Mahakala. The Indians consider this Brahmanical goddess with a blue body and black hair as the mistress of procreation. His statues are often placed in temples dedicated to fertility.
However, this seems far removed from the attributes of our Daikoku...
Specialists answer that by crossing China and the Himalayan mountains, certain gods and characters from mythology can change their character.
The whole explanation would be long and complex but, to put it simply, the reasoning is that in order to be able to procreate, one must have enough reserves to feed the unborn babies, and therefore it was necessary to protect food stocks.
This would be how, first in China, Mahakata was assigned the task of guarding the provisions of temples and monasteries.
Once she arrived in Japan, she would then have “fused” with another local deity known as Okuninushi to create Daikoku as we know it.
As we told you, however, there are other opinions on the matter.
Buddhists of the Zen and Mikkyo schools, for example, consider Daikoku as a primary god specific to Japanese culture, and more precisely as one of the “tenbu” (gods inhabiting the sky). Yes, in Imperial Japan, Buddhism was very present in myths.
Shinto tradition identifies Daikoku with the great legendary hero Ōkuni-nushi, whose name when written in Chinese is pronounced Daikoku.
The seven gods of luck in Japan
As we have just seen, Daikoku is one of those characters with a troubled history.
So it's quite complicated to understand why, but the fact is that he was a member of a group of seven deities known as "Shichifukujin".
These gods of luck are actually very popular in Japanese culture and almost everyone knows them on the archipelago.
Some claim that they emerged from the mixture of Buddhist, Shinto and Taoist beliefs. In any case, one thing is certain: they make a pretty great team!
Here is a list of the seven members of the Shichifukujin as well as their main responsibilities:
- Hotei: abundance and good health
- Jurojin: wisdom, longevity and common sense
- Fukurokuju: happiness and joy
- Bishamonten: war, fighting and active defense against evil
- Benzaiten: knowledge, arts and knowledge
- Daikokuten: wealth, trade, cuisine and agriculture
- Ebisu: fishing and bargaining
Some of them are at least as famous as Daikoku. Jurojin (of which you will find a description here) and Ebisu (of which here is the Wikipedia page) for example are particularly revered in certain corners of Japan today.
In short, this is how our joyous troop was created around the 15th century.
Very clearly, when we see what each of these Japanese gods can bring to us, we cannot see favorably.
It is therefore not for nothing that they accompany our Daikoku: each of them complements rather well what it already gives us and, together, they can help us in almost every area of our life.
To end our article in style, here is one last anecdote. The custom in Japan is that every year, for the New Year, the Shichifukujin cross Japan on a boat filled with treasures (called the “Takarabune”) in order to distribute them to the four corners of the country.
