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Ebisu & Daikoku
Smiles from the Japanese Kitchens |
| Nov 1, 2005 |
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Wishing for prosperity and fertility, a custom prevailed in the Japanese homes to place little wooden figures on areas like the lintel in the kitchen from around the Edo period. Most of these figures are seen in pairs. They represent the two members of the 'Seven deities of Good Fortune', Daikoku (or Daikokuten) and Ebisu (Yebisu). Daikoku is associated with abundance in agriculture and posterity, and is usually pictured with a sack in his left hand, a mallet in his right and standing on rice bales. Ebisu is believed to bring prosperity to commerce and fishery in some communities.
Although there is regional variation to the forms and where in the kitchen the two figures were placed, they were usually lodged somewhere near the oven. This fact has made us name these unique figures, 'Kitchen Deities' (there is a certain type of house god called the 'Oven God' who protects the ovens; so we have avoided using this name). Kitchen Deities are generally made of wood, not by renowned sculptors, but by anonymous craftsmen and carpenters of the time. As traditional Japanese houses are made of wood, the home builders often made the figures from remains of wood and presented it to the owner of the house.
In the kitchens of old Japan, the oven was filled with wood for cooking rice or fish. While cooking meals, the oven sent out piles of smoke all over the kitchen. The Kitchen Deities were covered in fume every day and night, and they gradually acquired a darker tone as years went by (except for the back of base which generally show the original surface of the wood). This natural dark tone is one of the charms of Kitchen Deities for it adds taste and value to the pieces as they reveal the history and culture that they were once an essential part of.
Many Kitchen Deities have lived for more than a century. During all the years, some of the wood's water content has evaporated and most of the figures are much lighter than they may appear. Also since they were placed at high levels in the kitchen, their size is usually limited to around 3" width and 5" height. Due to many break downs of old Japanese houses, fire hazards and increased numbers of collectors in Japan and abroad, there are fewer good quality Kitchen Deities left in today's market.
To deliver them to you fresh out of the Japanese kitchens we have not polished this little woodcarvings. Enjoy their natural age patina!
Click here to see our Kitchen Deities Listing |
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