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Bishamonten the God of Battle is a major god in Japanese folklore. Bishamonten as well as Shitenno iconography is connected to the Four Celestial Symbols, a Chinese collection of 4 legendary pets (dragon, red bird, tiger, turtle) who safeguard the 4 cardinal instructions (eastern, southern, west, north). Over sketch from Butsuzō-zu-i 仏像図彙, "Collected Pictures of Buddhist Images." First released in 1690 (Genroku 元禄 3). Major Japanese thesaurus of Buddhist iconography.

According to the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Issues), Susanoo-no-Mikoto (known as Bishamonten in Japan) survived on the island of Brush in the sea, in what is now called Izumo in Shimane Prefecture. There, in a Buddhist temple, there is a statuary of Bishamonten with a sword and also a guard.

The 7 Gods of Lot of money stood for an equilibrium of impacts. Bishamonten is the guardian of the north. Ebisu is special amongst the Seven Lucky gods not as a result of his cheerful nature or patronage of fishermen. 3 each were from Hinduism, Chinese Buddhism, and also Taoism.

The statuary was constructed in the 17th century and also was made from conventional Japanese timber carving and also metal spreading methods. As soon as Buddhism made its means bishamon noragami icons right into Japan, Bishamonten's name remained mainly unmodified yet his individuality still expanded - much more on that particular below.