Imamiya Ebisu Shrine

You are at Imamiya Ebisu Shrine, home of "Ebessan", as Osaka affectionately calls Ebisu, god of fishing and commerce. You will recognize him everywhere: chubby, cheerful, holding a rod with a sea bream under his arm.

1A guardian of the west

According to the shrine's tradition, Prince Shōtoku founded it around the year 600 as a protector of the western side of Shitennoji, a temple you will see on another route. Back then the sea came very close to this spot, so honoring the fishermen's god made sense. When Osaka became a city of merchants, Ebisu became their patron.

2Ten days of luck

From 9 to 11 January the shrine holds Tōka Ebisu, and enormous crowds gather here. People buy a bamboo branch, the fukuzasa, decorated with charms to draw prosperity for the year, while everyone chants "shōbai hanjō de sasa motte koi": "bring bamboo so business will boom". The fukumusume, young women chosen each year from thousands of applicants, hand out the luck.

According to the popular explanation, Ebisu is a little hard of hearing, so after praying you walk around the building and knock at the back so he hears you.

It is a custom full of humor, and there is no need to take it literally.

The buildings burned in the 1945 air raids and were rebuilt over the following decades.

3What to look for

• The images of Ebisu with his red sea bream, on lanterns and charms.
• The back of the shrine, where people knock to press their wishes.
• The decorated bamboo branches, if you come in January.