The 七福神 (しちふくじん) or the Seven Lucky Gods are deities that occur frequently in Japanese art and mythology.

布袋 (ほてい) is the god of good health and abundance. He is depicted as a plump and bald man with a protruding belly. Somtimes he is seen holding a bag full of presents. He also symbolizes happiness, which is why he is always depicted as smiling or laughing.

寿老人 (じゅろうじん) is the god of long life. He is depicted as an old man with a long beard. Sometimes he is seen with animals that symbolize longevity, such as the crane and tortoise. According to mythology, he has a scroll that contains the written life span of all living things.

福禄寿 (ふくろくじゅ) is the god of happiness, wealth and longevity. 福 = happiness. 禄 = wealth. 寿 = longevity. He’s often depicted with an elongated, bare forehead and has the ability to resurrect the dead.

毘沙門天 (びしゃもんてん) is the guardian of warriors. He is depicted as armored and holding a spear. Legend says that he punishes those who are evil and guards the temples where the Buddha resides.

弁財天 (べんざいてん) is the goddess of music, art, beauty and knowledge. She is often depicted with a 琵琶 (びわ) or a Japanese lute. Before she was assigned as one of the seven lucky gods, she was known as the protector of the Japanese nation and its people.

大黒天 (だいこくてん) is the god of wealth, business, commerce and trade. He is usually depicted with chubby cheeks and sagging earlobes. His trademark is his mallet and he is often seen with mice. The mice symbolizes abundance of food.

恵比寿 (えびす) is the guardian over fisherman and merchants. He is often depicted with a fishing rod and a large sea bream. According to mythology, he was born without legs and was tossed into the sea. He managed to grow legs and consequently, became a sea god.