Ebisu is one of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) in Japanese folk belief and is traditionally identified with Hiruko, the firstborn child of the creator deities Izanagi and Izanami, who according to myth was cast into the sea due to being born without bones. Ebisu is commonly depicted as a smiling, bearded figure holding a fishing rod and a large red sea bream, reflecting origins tied to fishing communities before the association broadened to encompass merchants and business prosperity. Devotion to Ebisu is widely observed at shrines and through festivals such as Ebisu-ko, where believers seek blessings for commerce and abundance, though such outcomes remain matters of faith and tradition rather than documented certainty.