- Title: Crowds at Tokyo shrine pray for business prosperity
- Date: 4th January 2017
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 4, 2017) (REUTERS) KANDA SHRINE GATE CROWDS GATHERED OUTSIDE KANDA SHRINE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRAYING MONEY BEING THROWN INTO SHRINE DONATIONS BOX (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 38-YEAR-OLD BUSINESS MAN, MORISHITA YOSHIMICHI, SAYING: "I'd like to do my best as company president and I prayed for my employees' health". PEOPLE OUTSIDE ENTRANCE TO INNER SHRINE PEOPLE WAITING FOR RITUAL TO BEGIN MAN PRAYING VARIOUS OF SHRINE PRIEST AND PRIESTESS CONDUCTING RITUALS PEOPLE LEAVING PEOPLE PRAYING SHRINE STAFF SELLING SHRINE AMULETS SHRINE AMULETS AND GOOD LUCK CHARMS ARCHWAY COVERED IN WHITE FORTUNE TELLER PAPERS MAN TYING FORTUNE TELLING PAPER (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 23-YEAR-OLD TRADE COMPANY EMPLOYEE, YAMABE MISAKO, SAYING: "The deities worshipped here at the Kanda shrine include the gods of business so I prayed for my co-workers' health and well-being." VARIOUS OF STATUE OF GOD OF BUSINESS
- Embargoed: 19th January 2017 04:40
- Keywords: New Year business Ebisu God shrine Japan
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0015XO037R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Japanese lined up at a Shinto shrine in downtown Tokyo on Wednesday (January 4), the first official working day of 2017 in Japan, to pray for good luck and success in business in the new year.
The Kanda Shrine, a 1,300-year-old Shinto shrine, is popular among company employees and business owners, as it is dedicated to two of the Seven Lucky Gods.
"I'd like to do my best as company president and I prayed for my employees' health," said 38-year-old businessman Morishita Yoshimichi.
Many people also offered a second prayer at a smaller instalment at a corner of the shrine.
"The deities worshipped here at the Kanda shrine include the gods of business, so I prayed for my co-workers health and well-being," said 23-year-old trading company employee Yamabe Misako.
The gods Daikokuten and Ebisu are the gods of fortune and business respectively. Ebisu is the only one of the Seven Lucky Gods without a corresponding deity outside Japan. The others' origins hark back to China, Nepal and India.
In Japan, many believe that the appearance of all seven gods in one's dreams in the first few days of the new year will bring a year of good fortune. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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