The Shichifukujin are both the Seven Gods of Happiness and the Seven Gods of Luck in the Japanese Pantheon. Each of these deities oversees a particular aspect of life. To be truly happy, one must worship all seven in the proper balance.
The Shichifukujin dwell together in Mount Celestia's first layer, Lunia, in a Realm known as the Eight Happinesses. They are all lesser deities.
HOTEI — God of happiness through luck.
Hotei has a huge stomach, below which his garments sag. He is
very good-natured.
JUROJIN — God of happiness through long life.
Jurojin is always in the company of a crane, tortoise, or stag. He has a long white beard and carries a shaku (a sacred staff on which is fastened a scroll containing the wisdom of the world). He also enjoys sake in moderation.
FUKUROKUJO — God of happiness through good health.
Fukurokujo has a very long and narrow head and a very short
body (his head is longer than his legs).
BISHAMON — God of happiness through good cheer, and during wartime.
Bishamon is always dressed in full armor, carrying a spear in one
hand, and a miniature pagoda in the other.
DAIKOKU — God of happiness through wealth.
Depicted as a portly, balding man with an easy grace about him, Daikoku is also the guardian of farmers and is a cheerful god. He is prayed to for beneficial weather and a good harvest. He carries a wooden mallet which can shrink those it hits, and teleport its master to a place of safety. He is usually sitting on rice bales, with his treasure hung over his shoulder in a sack.
EBISU — God of happiness through food.
Depicted as an elderly man, Ebisu is a hard worker. He is also the patron of tradesmen and fishermen. He usually carries a fishing rod and a sea bream, and is occasionally found floating over the earth rewarding those who work hard with bountiful food and extra money. He often greets travelers to Lunia in the guise of a poor fisherman with a good catch from the pier, rescuing those who are foolish enough to drown in the ocean.
BENZAITEN — Goddess of happiness through love.
Benzaiten, also called Benten, is many things. She is the patroness of literature and music, and a giver of wealth and romantic happiness. The sea is her home, and her father is Ryujin, the Dragon King of the Sea. Benten is a beautiful woman with eight arms, two of which are always folded in prayer. She is usually either riding or accompanied by a dragon. She uses a white serpent for her messenger.
Sources:
On Hallowed Ground
Deities & Demigods (1st edition)
Legends & Lore (2nd edition)
Dragon Magazine #13
Manual of the Planes, 1st edition, page 89
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