In Japanese folklore the gods Fukurokuju and Jurojin are both members of the shichifukujin, the seven lucky gods of Japan. They are also both associated with wisdom and longevity. Jurojin is often depicted carrying a scroll on which is written either the life span of all living things or a record of good and bad deeds.
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| 'Fukurokuju' - Yoshifuji, 1852. |
Fukurokuju has an unusually long forehead and carries a cane with a scroll tied to it, associating him with wisdom. Both gods are said to be the personification of the North Star and in some accounts they are said to share the same body, which sometimes leads to confusion between them.
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| 'God of Luck Jurojin and Minogame' - Ashikawa Tsuneyoshi. |
Each New Year the seven lucky gods travel from the heavens in the magical treasure ship called '
Takarabune.' They bring many gifts and among them are the scrolls and books of wisdom and life.
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| 'Fukurokuju' - Utagawa Kuniyoshi. |
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A carving of Jurojin with scroll. |
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| 'Woman Reading a Letter to Jurojin' - Kitagawa Utamaro. |
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| 'Takarabune' - Utagawa Hiroshige. |
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