Benzaiten

Benzaiten, also known as Benten or Benzai-ten, is a Japanese goddess venerating water, music, the arts, knowledge, and eloquence. In Buddhist and Shinto syncretism she is often identified with Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning and the arts, making her a patron of musicians, poets, and scholars as well as traders and seafarers.

Iconography typically shows a beautiful woman playing a biwa, a short-necked lute; she may be accompanied by a dragon or stand atop a water motif, underscoring her association with rivers and the sea.

Benzaiten is one of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) in Japanese popular belief, where she is linked with fortune in the arts and learning, often paired with Ebisu. She is worshipped at temples and shrines called Benten-sha or Benten-dō, and her cult has left a mark on temple music, festivals, and decorative arts.

Major centers include Enoshima Shrine in Kanagawa and the Benten Shrine on Miyajima (Itsukushima) in Hiroshima. From late medieval to modern times, she has remained a symbol of artistic inspiration and flowing vitality, reflecting the belief that wisdom, beauty, and creativity are nourished by the currents of water.