Ebisu deity

Stone statue of Ebisu deity as a Buddhist monk wearing a red bib in a forest setting

Ebisu: Japanese God of Fortune and Fishermen

Orin Vale

Ebisu is one of Japan’s best-known deities, closely associated with prosperity, commerce, fishing, and good fortune, and easily recognized by his cheerful image with a fishing rod and sea bream. Yet behind this familiar figure lies a complex history of shifting myths, local traditions, and religious meanings that reveal how a folk god became a lasting symbol of abundance and success.