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, also transliterated see historical kana orthography or called 蛭子 or 事代主神, is the Japanese god of fishermen and luck. He is one of the Shichifukujin, and the only one of the seven to originate purely from Japan without any Buddhist or Taoist influence. He is a god of wealth and prosperity. He is a patron of tradesmen and fishermen.
For some communities, in addition for being a deity of fishing, wealth, and fortune, Ebisu is also associated with objects that would drift ashore from the sea such as logs and even corpses. As part of the shichifukujin, Ebisu has three sets of temples and shrines in Tokyo, the Mukojima, Yamate (Bluff), and Meguro sets.
In fishing communities across Japan it is extremely common to see fishermen ritualistically praying to Ebisu before they head out for the day. The fishermen’s relationship with Ebisu is indicative of Japan’s relationship with nature as a whole. Fishermen tell stories of how Ebisu keeps the ocean safe and pristine, pushing debris to the shore. As Ebisu is said to have no arms or legs, fishermen often suggest it takes 7 years for things like screws, bolts, or umeboshi seeds to turn up on shore as Ebisu carries the seed in his mouth and crawls his way along the ocean floor. For this reason, it is believed that Ebisu becomes enraged whenever people pollute the ocean.
Ebisu is frequently paired with Daikokuten, another of the seven gods of Fortune, in displays of the twin patrons by small shopkeepers. In some versions of the mythology they are father and son (or master and apprentice). Also, these two are often joined by Fukurokuju as the "Three Gods of Good Fortune".
As a form of , Ebisu was often associated with marine megafauna such as whales and (hence the latter being called the "Ebisu-Shark") that bring in masses of fish and protect fishermen. In areas of Northeast Japan, Japanese fishermen opposed whaling, as they believed whales were an incarnation of Ebisu.
Ebisu is depicted or parodied in a wide range of media, from artwork to costumed impersonations at local festivals and in commercial logos and advertisements. One of the most widely recognized product logos is in association with Yebisu beer, which was first brewed in 1890, and was acquired by Sapporo Brewery.
Ebisu is the basis of the name of the clothing brand Evisu.
The B.League professional basketball team Osaka Evessa is named after the local pronunciation of Ebisu-sama (as Ebessan), reflecting the god’s longstanding importance in the city of Osaka. Team mascot Maido-kun is a stylized, childlike depiction of Ebisu wearing a basketball uniform.
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