yanaka shichifukujin walks : January 3 2025

January 2025 · 7 min read · Kita

an older couple praying for good luck for this new year in Seiunji Temple. this is my entry to @photofeed street photography round 100

the shichifukujin (七福神) or seven lucky gods or seven gods of fortune in japanese tradition and folklore is a collection of gods believed to bring good luck and fortune. now shichifukujin meguri 七福神巡り is a pilgrimage tour to visit temples and shrines dedicated to these seven lucky gods. japanese people usually go on these walks on the first few days of the new year where they usually wish for good fortune and happiness. a quick google search will give the seven gods as follows:

Ebisu 恵比寿
The God of Success in Business

Daikokuten 大黒天
The God of a Rich Harvest

Benzaiten 弁財天
The God of Good Results in Learning and Fortune. The only female among the group, is also the goddess of music and charm.

Bishamonten 毘沙門天
The God of Victory

Hotei 布袋
The God of Good Fortune, bringing good match, bringing healthy children

Fukurokuju 福禄寿
The God of Long Life and Wealth

Jurojin 寿老人
The God of long life and happiness

the origins of these gods are varied:

from Mahayana Buddhism (Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Daikokuten) which came to Japan from China but originated in India, and from Chinese Taoism (Fukurokuju, Hotei, Jurojin); except for one (Ebisu) who has a native Japanese ancestry. ^source

yanaka shichifukujin meguri

i took these pictures in one of the participating shrines, and this paper is given to each person who then goes to each of the seven temples to collect the stamps at a price. in other places also conducting a meguri it might look different, i'm not really well versed on this, but the yanaka version is said to be the oldest with belief in it starting from the edo period (1603-1867) until this day.

and please do not let me identify who is who in the picture above. i could barely read standard kanji, scripted kanji is hundred times more difficult. but this paper after collecting all the stamps are usually framed and serves as a good luck charm for the entire year.

the participating temples are along this route as seen above. the paper also includes details of each temple and their distances in between. the yanaka version runs from the 1st to the 10th of january and each place are open from 9am to 5pm.

with this in mind, let us start the pilgrimage.

Shinobazu Bentendou 不忍池弁天堂 - dedicated to Benzaiten

built in the 1600s, i had no clue that this temple in the middle of shinobazu pond is actually part of this pilgrimage. i have often pass by this temple at night, it is in the middle of a lotus filled pond which was modelled after a different temple in the middle of the largest lake in japan, lake biwa.

as this octagonal shaped temple is part of the tourist spots of ueno park, which includes the zoo, and museum, this has the most people in queue.

Gokokuin Temple 護国院 - dedicated to Daikokuten

a few meters away was this temple built in as early as 1625. in 1639, the third shogun, Iemitsu, donated an image of Daikokuten, and since then, it has been enshrined and has come to attract worshippers in this temple.

the site i checked mentioned of a giant lantern displayed in front, but i guess that was already removed at least in this year. the temple grounds also had a noh theater and a garden. this was my first time ever in this temple.

Chouanji temple 長安寺 - dedicated to Jurojin

it was the smallest of the seven temples i visited, having a very narrow walkway and the temple located at the very end. this temple was established in 1669.

the cemetery inside also entombs some famous people such as, hogai, an artist who contributed greatly to the development of modern japanese painting.

Tennouji Temple 天王寺 - dedicated to Bishamonten

founded in 1274, this temple is the oldest in this pilgrimage. it is well known for this bronze seated Buddha statue in its garden that was casted in the late 1600s.

probably the biggest temple in its time, the whole yanaka cemetery beside it was used to be part by this temple. the cemetery was nationalized in 1873 and this temple lost some of its glory since then.

earlier in the 17th century, this temple faced dangers of abolishment and closure because it was originally headed by a sect of buddhism which was deemed heritic and anti-regime at that time. the temple had to convert to a different sect of buddhism which continued to this day.

Shushouin Temple 修性院 - dedicated to Hotei

founded in 1575, this temple (together with the next one) is famous for hanami or cherry blossom viewing. it was even nicknamed hanamidera or the "flower viewing temple" and was even depicted in a renowned ukiyo-e artist's work, Utagawa Hiroshige's famed "Hundred Views of Edo".

construction is ongoing in one side of the temple grounds, unfortunately. but at least the fence of the temple is intact, which contained images of the god Hotei playing with children.

Seiunji Temple 青雲寺 - dedicated to Ebisu

the other half of the hanamidera distinction, the temple is said to be built in mid 18th century. in its grounds is a stone monument of a famous novelist takizawa bakin and is often visited by followers of his works as well.

the main temple was very picturesque, and i specially loved this picture of a couple who visited the temple. i saw them first in the previous temple along with other groups of people and i have been walking with them till the end of this pilgrimage.

Toukakuji Temple 東覚寺 - dedicated to Fukurokuju

the last of the 7 temples i visited, this temple is actually often used as the starting point of the yanaka shichifukujin meguri, although the order shouldn't really matter. i too should have completed the paper stamps if i just bought one.

established in 1491, this temple supposedly have a garden with statues of the 7 lucky gods. i tried entering the garden but the door was locked. here i was taking pictures of the same couple in the previous temple. it is just lovely seeing them still strong and praying together in this journey.

what is unique in this temple though are the two nio statues (those typical guardian staues on both sides of a temple gate) that are full of red papers. it was believed that sticking akagami (red papers) on these two statues same as on the specific area of your body will heal those parts. by the looks of it, many have headaches in japan.

now, i am not really a believer or follower of buddhism nor shintoism; thus, i did not participate with the stamp collection. but i will never be against customs and traditions passed down from generation to generation, and i would love to observe and check out these with respect. these makes a culture unique and partly makes these people who they are.

as always, AMPING KANUNAY!

afterthought

i originally wanted to go to ueno park for a new year drum celebration; but unfortunately it seems that i will have to enter and pay for museum entrance fees just to witness that event. with a change of plans, since i am in the park, i decided to go shrine or temple hopping instead.

the museum is also having displays for hello kitty, probably for an anniversary. just look at that massive hello kitty display.

i was doing the temple hopping by myself but there were also other people doing the same. as i was moving from one temple to the next, they were also moving with me. at one point i stopped looking at the map and just followed these people, we were all moving to the same place. it just looked like we were all doing this as if we were a large group. don't these two at my front look familiar to you?

_{sources:

https://tokyo.digi-joho.com/yanaka/yanaka-shichifukujin.html

https://old-tokyo.info/7-lucky-gods-pilgrimage-in-yanaka/

https://thegate12.com}