Ebisu, God of Fortune, and kneeling fisherwoman – okimono

The term “okimono” can be translated from Japanese as “decorative object” or “object to be displayed”. Unlike the netsuke miniatures, which were used as fasteners of obi sashes, okimonos have no practical purpose, but are purely decorative. The God Ebisu is the only one of the Seven Gods of Fortune that is of purely Japanese origin and was not imported to Japan from China. He is depicted as a plump smiling deity holding a fishing rod and a sea perch protecting fishermen and seamen. Ebisu is also the name given to Sapporo lager beer.