in his left Ōji Kara Daikoku (王子迦羅大黒): Daikokuten as a prince (王子, ōji) brandishing a sword and a vajra; sometimes interpreted as Mahākāla-Daikokuten's son Yasha Daikoku (夜叉大黒): Daikokuten as the subduer of demons (yakṣa), wearing Japanese aristocratic garb and holding a wheel (dharmacakra) in his right hand Makakara Daikokunyo (摩伽迦羅大黒女): Daikokuten as a female figure holding a bale of rice above her head; sometimes interpreted as Mahākāla-Daikokuten's consort (i.e. Mahākāḷī) Shinda Daikoku (信陀大黒 or 真陀大黒): Daikokuten as a boy with the wish-granting jewel (cintāmaṇi) in his hand Makara Daikoku (摩伽羅大黒): Daikokuten in his 'regular' benign form, holding a mallet and a sack The 17th-18th centuries (Edo period) marked the appearance of the cult of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin), of which Daikokuten is a key member. Daikokuten's rise in popularity among the common people during the late medieval and early modern periods led to the god becoming a popular subject in art. Worship The god continues to enjoy an exalted position as a deity of fortune and the household in Japan. Images of Daikokuten can be found in both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in the country (a relic of the long-standing fusion of the two religions), though in the latter case, these are usually interpreted and revered as representations of the Japanese god Ōkuninushi rather than the Buddhist Mahākāla. Due to his association with rats, days under the zodiac sign of the Rat (子日, ne-no-hi), especially that of the Yang Wood Rat (甲子, kōshi / kinoe-ne) are considered to be sacred to Mahākāla-Daikokuten (and by extension, Ōkuninushi), with the first (初甲子, hatsu kōshi) and last kōshi days (納め甲子, osame kōshi) of a given year being especially held in great esteem. Special ceremonies and festivals are held on these days at many places of worship dedicated to the deity. During the early modern period, Daikokuten's association with wealth and prosperity precipitated a custom known as fukunusubi, or "theft of fortune". This custom started with the belief that whoever stole divine figures was assured of good fortune if not caught in the act. The toshi-no-ichi (year-end market) held at Sensō-ji in Asakusa became the main venue of the sale and disposal of such images by the fortune-seekers. Many small stalls were opened where articles including images of Daikokuten were sold on the eve of New Year celebrations. Another practice known as tsubute (礫, lit. "stone throwing") involved 'stealing' the wealth from