12 Field Museum of Natural History 



The Seven Gods of Good Fortune (Shichi-fuku-jin) 

 are to be seen in every household in Japan, and appear 

 in certain prints on the south wall. They are derived 

 from Brahmanism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shintoism. 

 They may be seen associated in one print, where they 

 are having a New Year's feast. Fukurokujiu, with the 

 tall head, is the god of prosperity, longevity, and wis- 

 dom. Daikoku, with the rice bales and magic hammer, 

 is the god of wealth. Ebisu, with the fish, is the patron 

 of fishermen, while Hotei, with a large bag, is the friend 

 of children. Bishamon clad in armor, though rever- 

 enced by warriors, is a god of wealth. Juro Jin, an 

 old man with a staff and scroll, is also a god of 

 longevity and wisdom. Benten, the only female of the 

 group, is the goddess of eloquence and talents. 



The pictures of heroes are interesting, not alone for 

 their story-telling qualities of thrilling feats of bravery, 

 but more especially on account of their true delineation 

 of the arms and armor worn by the warriors of old 

 Japan. The two swords, carried by all samurai or 

 warriors, appear again and again, as do also spears 

 and halberds. The latter are of various forms, straight 

 and forked, and generally held by a carefully decorated 

 hand-piece. Battle-axes are also evident, and, in the 

 case of the older warriors, quivers full of arrows are 

 suspended from the left shoulder. An interesting 

 weapon of ancient days is being effectively used by a 

 woman, Tomoye Gozen, in a print shown on the south 

 wall. It is called kusari-kama, that is, "chained hoe." 

 Attached to the shoulder, the sickle-shaped knife was 

 flung at the adversary and pulled back by means of the 

 chain. The armour is all of the old type, made of lami- 

 nae of iron or lacquer laced together with silken braid, 

 and decorated on the breast plate, shoulder, and hip 

 pieces with precious metals. The helmets are elabo- 

 rate and surmounted by gilded horns or wings. 



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