Confidence
| Field | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temple name | 99% | Bottom-left red square seal in tensho clearly reads 浅草寺. Top-right red rectangle reads 「浅草七福神」 (Asakusa Shichifukujin) — the pilgrimage circuit marker. The center calligraphy is 「大黒天」 (Daikoku-ten) written in bold abstract brush, matching the documented Sensō-ji Daikokuten Shichifukujin goshuin. |
| Date | 97% | Left column reads 令和六年五月二十日 = 20 May 2024. Same Tokyo day as the rest of the Asakusa pilgrimage. |
Identification
- Issuing temple: 浅草寺 (Sensō-ji) — same temple as entry 14
- Goshuin variant: 浅草名所七福神 — 大黒天 (Daikokuten) station
- Pilgrimage: 浅草名所七福神 (Asakusa Meisho Shichifukujin) — Asakusa Famous Sites Seven Lucky Gods
- Sensō-ji's role in the pilgrimage: Daikokuten station, issued at the 影向堂 (Yōkōdō / Eikōdō hall) — a separate sub-hall on temple grounds
- Date received: 令和六年五月二十日 = 20 May 2024
Reading the goshuin
| Element | Reading | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 浅草七福神 (or 浅草名所七福神 / 大黒天) (tensho) | Pilgrimage marker | Top right, red rectangle |
| 奉拝 | Hōhai — "humbly worshipped" | Top right, brush |
| 大黒天 | Daikoku-ten — the lucky god of wealth and household | Center, large bold brush |
| Ornate red round seal | Stylized Daikokuten figure with the character 大 | Center |
| 浅草寺印 (tensho) | Sensō-ji official seal | Bottom-left red square seal |
| 令和六年五月二十日 | 20 May 2024 | Left column, brush |
About Daikoku-ten (大黒天)
Daikoku-ten is one of the Seven Lucky Gods, originally derived from the Hindu deity Mahakala (a fierce form of Shiva), Buddhicized in India and adopted in Japan via Tang-dynasty China. In Japan, Daikoku-ten was conflated with Ōkuninushi-no-Mikoto (大国主命) — the Izumo deity — because the Chinese characters for "Daikoku" (大黒 — "Great Black") can also be read as "Ōkuni" (the same characters as Ōkuninushi's name). This rare double-reading allowed Daikoku to bridge Buddhist and Shinto pantheons.
Iconography:
- 大袋 (ōbukuro — large rice bag) carried over the shoulder
- 打出の小槌 (uchide no kozuchi — wish-fulfilling wooden mallet) held in one hand
- 米俵 (kome-dawara — rice bales) under his feet
- Smiling, plump face — symbolizing prosperity
Blessings:
- 金運 (kin'un) — financial fortune
- 食べ物の豊穣 (shokumotsu no hōjō) — abundance of food
- 台所の守り (daidokoro no mamori) — kitchen protection (Daikoku has a household-altar role)
- 子孫繁栄 (shison han'ei) — prosperity for descendants
Where this goshuin is issued — 影向堂 (Yōkōdō / Eikōdō)
The Daikokuten goshuin is NOT issued at Sensō-ji's main goshuin desk. It comes from the 影向堂 (Yōkōdō / Eikōdō) — a separate hall on the temple grounds, west of the main hall and the five-story pagoda.
The Yōkōdō:
- Houses Sensō-ji's substitute principal image (替り本尊) — the visible Kannon statue (the original is the hibutsu)
- Houses the Asakusa Daikoku-ten statue
- Has its own goshuin desk
So a visit to receive this Daikokuten goshuin involves a specific detour to the Yōkōdō rather than just queuing at the main goshuin counter — making this goshuin slightly less common than the standard 聖観世音.
Asakusa Shichifukujin context
This is Sensō-ji's role in the Asakusa Famous Sites Seven Lucky Gods Pilgrimage:
| # | Site | Deity | This book? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 浅草寺 (Sensō-ji) | 大黒天 (Daikokuten) | ✓ this entry |
| 2 | 浅草神社 (Asakusa Jinja) | 恵比須 (Ebisu) | ✓ entry 13 |
| 3 | 待乳山聖天 | 毘沙門天 (Bishamonten) | — |
| 4 | 今戸神社 (Imado Jinja) | 福禄寿 (Fukurokuju) | ✓ Book 1, entry 03 (May 2023) |
| 5 | 不動院 | 布袋尊 (Hotei) | — |
| 6 | 石浜神社 | 寿老神 (Jurōjin) | — |
| 7 | 吉原神社 | 弁財天 (Benzaiten) | — |
| 8 | 鷲神社 | 寿老人 (Jurōjin) — 2nd | — |
| 9 | 矢先稲荷神社 | 福禄寿 (Fukurokuju) — 2nd | ✓ entry 16 |
Across the user's three books, 4 of 9 stations of the Asakusa Shichifukujin have been collected. Completing the pilgrimage would require the remaining 5 (which would all need to be visited in a single day to receive the credit, traditionally).
What the blessing carries
- 金運 (kin'un) — financial fortune
- 商売繁盛 (shōbai hanjō) — business prosperity
- 食料豊富 (shokuryō hōfu) — abundant food
- Asakusa Shichifukujin pilgrimage credit — toward completing the full 9-site circuit