ca. mid twentieth century
14" x 9" x 5", 35.5 cm x 22.5 cm x 12.5 cm

Right about now we all need a reprieve from thinking about the tanking global economy, and what better way to do so than to introduce one of Japan’s most beloved deities, Daikoku, one of  the ubiquitous “Gods of Good Fortune” and a familiar face in Japan.

Daikoku is the God of Wealth and Farmers; in his popular form in Japan he is considered to be the “god of success is worldly endeavors” and he is shown, plump and smiling, standing on rice bales and, in his left hand, his trusty “magic mallet” which can bestow treasures when tapped.  He is often shown carrying a heavy bag of fortunate goodies.

Daikoku’s origins are Indian, not uncommon with certain Japanese deities: Buddhism traveled to Japan from India via China and Korea, and some of Buddhism’s early beliefs were syncretized with Hinduism: Hindu deities are installed in some of the most important  Nara, Heian and Kamakura era temples along with Buddhist deities.

This popular image of Daikoku is molded from a kind of plaster and is hand painted on its front.  Some of the charm of this piece is from its peeling paint--but most of the charm emanates from within.  Consider collecting this along with the other, similar piece being offered today, Ebisu.  In Japan, they are often shown together.