Japanese legends, Davis retelling
Daikoku
Daikoku carries a mallet and a bag of precious things in Davis’s account. The mallet is said to confer wealth, while rice bales and a rat accompany his familiar image. A protective story gives the rat an active role: it brings a holly branch that drives an attacking oni away.
Also known as God of Wealth in Davis
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In the sources
Account in the source
TraditionalDaikoku carries a mallet and a bag of precious things in Davis’s account. The mallet is said to confer wealth, while rice bales and a rat accompany his familiar image.
Further detail
TraditionalA protective story gives the rat an active role: it brings a holly branch that drives an attacking oni away.
Context & interpretation
These attributes and the holly episode are taken from Davis’s retelling. Wealth conferred by a mallet and protection from an oni are traditional claims, not promised effects of an object or charm. The entry does not conflate every historical form of Daikoku or Daikokuten.
Original passages
Source 1
Myths and Legends of Japan
A stroke of his Mallet confers wealthOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Davis, Myths & Legends of Japan, active reader leaf 233
Checked against the active prepared edition; reader leaf and original-page mapping verified, spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0052-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0052-E001-P0233
- Original scan leaf
- 259
- Recorded leaf number
- 259
- Current Reader position
- 232
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Myths and Legends of Japan
brought back a branch of hollyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Davis, Myths & Legends of Japan, active reader leaf 234
Checked against the active prepared edition; reader leaf and original-page mapping verified, spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0052-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0052-E001-P0234
- Original scan leaf
- 260
- Recorded leaf number
- 260
- Current Reader position
- 233
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Ebisu
The fishing figure whom Davis places beside Daikoku among the Gods of Luck.
Same subject and traditionBenten
A figure associated with love, beauty, eloquence and island shrines in Davis.
Same subject and traditionHotei
The laughing, contented figure whose bag also becomes a place for children.
Same subject and traditionRaiden
The thunder figure carrying an arc of drums in Davis’s account.