Seven Japanese Gods of Luck Festival (Shichifukujin) - Hatsu Konpira

At Kotohiragu Shrine a small shrine in Tokyo, they have a small festival with a small parade of the Shichifukujin, the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. Hatsu Konpira is the shrine's first fair of the new year so the parade of the seven lucky gods is to ensure good luck, good health, and prosperity in the coming year. It's a very short parade only within the grounds of the shrines but the costumes and masks of the seven gods are really great. It was a good look into how important it is in Japan to pray for good luck and health at the beginning of the year. The seven gods walk about dispensing their blessings on the people. There are quite a number of these Shichifukujin type festivals around New Year's.