< Image: 1 Cover >

WHAT ARE HANSATSU?

Also referred to as “Bookmark Money,” Hansatsu (藩札) is a type of paper currency issued in
Japan from 1661 to 1870.

In 1599, Tokugawa Ieyasu gained control of Japan and reorganized the nation. He formed
territories called “Han” led by existing local leaders (Daimyo). Overall, he formed approximately
275 Han across the country.

In order to ensure their continued loyalty, Daimyos were required to travel to the capital
frequently. This became a financial strain as they had to sell large amounts of their rice and rely
on local merchants for loans. Merchants were the lowest class in Feudal Japan, so it was quite
undesirable to have the well-respected Daimyos reliant on them. As a solution, the Fukui Han
was first permitted to issue paper money in 1661, creating the first Hansatsu.

Other Han caught on and began issuing their own currency. Hansatsu typically circulated within
the Han where they were issued and were converted to hard currency before leaving the region.
They were created in a wide range of denominations, typically based on a weight of gold, silver,
or copper. A “momme” was a common unit of weight in the Japanese system and was frequently
used in Hansatsu denominations (ex. silver 1 momme). They were woodblock printed on thick
paper or cardboard in a range of colors and sizes, and a combination of intricate designs with
hidden characters and incuse stamps were used to combat counterfeiting. Consumers carried
their currency by poking a hole in the top and placing them on a string along with copper coins,
which had a hole in the center.

Hansatsu were issued through 1870, with a brief halt from 1707 through 1730. Over the course
of over 200 years, a total of approximately 1,700 different types were issued from roughly 200
different Han. For English speakers, they are phenomenally difficult to collect in a meaningful
way thanks to the incredible number of types, but also the difficulty presented by trying to
identify them.

The only consistent feature is that they include a denomination, though even this is difficult to
distinguish on older types. They’re commonly dated, but not consistently nor in a way
recognizable to westerners. Sometimes they name the issuing Han or province, but with no easily
accessible list of locations from that period of Japan, this is incredibly difficult to translate. They
commonly use handwritten, stylized, and outdated kanji that no modern translation engine will
recognize, in addition to Reisho characters which are all but impossible to identify. Many native
Japanese speakers have trouble making sense of the inscriptions.

< Photo: Hansatsu Zuroku >

Caption: Original Hansatsu Zuroku

Much of the difficulty could be alleviated by a useful reference, but very little exists. The
original Hansatsu Zuroku (to the right) was published in the late 1800s-early 1900s in sections
divided by Han. These appear for sale rarely, are expensive when available, and are just as
difficult to translate as the Hansatsu themselves. An updated Hansatsu Zuroku was published in
the 1970s with all the Han in one volume, but it’s also difficult to come by. Over 1,000 pages
and entirely in Japanese, it’s unwieldy to say the least.

Hansatsu, however, are not prohibitively expensive; common types can easily be found for $15-
$50. Even rare types rarely break $200 in the US market, making it a very financially accessible
series for currency from the 18th-20th centuries.

This exhibit outlines a new way to collect Hansatsu in a way that is structured, meaningful, but
also easy to understand and identify: By deity.

Most Hansatsu have an illustration on the front, commonly of a person. Most of these people are
identifiable as one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, a clear-cut grouping with plenty of English
information available. Learning to identify the different gods is fairly easy, and sorting through
listings brings back a type of treasure hunt that the internet largely taken away. Hansatsu are not
generally sold with the illustration described, so it’s the collector’s job to sort through listings
and find the gods they need. With so many different designs, you can pick and choose your
favorites to put together a unique set that still provides the satisfaction of checking off boxes on a
list.

Sometimes all seven Gods of Fortune can be found on the same Hansatsu, as below.

< Image: 2 Intro >

WHO ARE THE SEVEN GODS OF FORTUNE?

Also referred to as Shichifukujin (七福神), the Seven Gods of Fortune are a distinctly Japanese
grouping. The individual gods come from India, China, and some are indigenously Japanese, but
all have roots of over 1,000 years old.

Originally, they were worshipped separately. Merchants were the first believers, and they
primarily worshiped Daikoku and Ebisu, as they were seen as patrons of business. Over time
other classes began to look for their patrons, and the others gained popularity.

They were first mentioned as a group in 1420 when Fushimi held a procession of them. They
were first painted together in 1623 by Kano, and over time came to be worshipped as a group
instead of separately. They are still seen in Japanese pop culture and are all quite distinct.

< Image: 3 Daikoku >

DAIKOKU
Also known as Daikokuten
God of wealth, happiness, farming, and good fortune
History: It’s generally believed that Daikoku evolved from the fierce Indian deity Mahakala, the
god of death. He came to Japan in the 8th century and transformed into a chubby, good-natured
god of happiness and good fortune. A less popular theory is that he may have started as Okuni-
Nushi-No-Mikoto, a powerful prehistoric Japanese ruler. He now carries a sack of treasure and a
magical wooden mallet that can grant wishes. Daikoku was the first of the Seven Gods of
Fortune to be widely worshipped in Japan and was a favorite of farmers, artisans, and craftsmen.

How to Identify Daikoku: He is almost always shown sitting on top of two rice bales shaped
like barrels. These are a dead giveaway – no other god is depicted this way. He also usually
holds a hammer and has a large sack behind him. Occasionally he can be found with three heads,
but the rice bales still give him away.

Rarity: Daikoku is the most frequently seen god on Hansatsu. The type shown above is also
fairly common and can usually be found on the market.

< Image: 4 Ebisu >

EBISU
God of candor, wealth, good fortune, and fair dealing

History: Ebisu is one of the native Japanese gods, and it’s thought that he may have been based
on a real person, Kotoshiro-Nusi-no-Mikoto, a son of the king, who was so fond of fishing that it
bordered on obsession. He’s usually depicted in court robes, and always with a fish. There is a
shrine to Ebisu at Nishinomiya, and he’s the only one of the Seven Gods of Fortune with a
holiday – Ebisu-ko, held on October 20.

Merchants were the lowest class of Feudal Japanese society. As an apology to Ebisu for selling
things at a profit, the god of fair dealings, they began holding annual sales which became Ebisu-
ko. Today, Ebisu-ko is a festival around Odenma-cho, Chuoku.

How to Identify Ebisu: He is always depicted with a fish. Sometimes in the act of fishing,
sometimes just carrying a fish, but always with a fish. He also always has the small beard and
mustache seen on this note, usually smiling.

Rarity: Ebisu is almost as common as Daikoku, though finding nice examples is slightly more
difficult. It’s not unusual to find both depicted on the same piece. This particular example is a
fairly common type and all examples I’ve seen have the large black marks on the back. There are
two smaller issues of virtually the same design, and the three are frequently sold as a group.

< Image: 5 Benten >

BENTEN
Also known as Benzaiten
Goddess of music, the arts, eloquence, and amiability
History: Benten originated as the Indian angel Sarasvati and became popular among musicians
in the Heian period (794-1185). She played the Biwa, shown above on the figurine. She was
known as a very jealous goddess who was hostile towards married people. Court musicians who
played the biwa would refuse to marry, afraid Benten would take away their talent. Those who
were married worshiped her separately.

How to Identify Benten: She’s the only female among the Seven Gods of Fortune. She’s
commonly shown with a biwa or at the entrance to a shrine with many arms (as in this example).

Rarity: Benten is among the more common, but seen less often than Daikoku or Ebisu. The
example shown is by far the most common type and has been depicted in multiple articles about
Hansatsu.

< Image: 6 Fukurokuju >

FUKUROKUJU
Also known as Fukurokujin
God of happiness, riches, and longevity

History: Fukurokuju seems to have come from a Chinese story about a Sung Dynasty hermit
who was a reincarnation of the Taoist god Hsuan-Wu. While on earth, he was one of the Chinese
sennin, a philosopher who was able to live without food. He was able to grant extreme longevity
to people and is the only one of the Seven Gods of Fortune said to be able to revive the dead.

How to Identify Fukurokuju: His most distinguishing feature is his incredibly large forehead.
He’s a short man with a long beard, and is usually depicted in Chinese robes, commonly with a
tortoise, snake, or stork.

Rarity: Fukurokuju is among the two gods that are hardest to find. Only a handful of examples
have come up for sale in the past six months, and this is the only example of this design I have
seen. When examples with him do come up, they’ve had some of the best and most clear
portraits.

< Image: 7 Jurojin >

JUROJIN
God of Wisdom

History: Jurojin was also originally a Taoist god and bears many similarities to Fukurokuju. In
fact, they are sometimes considered to inhabit the same body. In the past, both were considered
gods of longevity; notice that the last Japanese character in Fukurokuju’s name is the same as the
first character for Jurojin. This is the symbol for longevity (“ju”), and although a long life is no
longer associated with Jurojin, the name remains.
Today, Jurojin is the god of Wisdom. He carries a scroll which contains all of the knowledge in
the universe, but is also a heavy drinker and quite fond of women. These vices may help explain
why he isn’t the most highly respected of the Seven Gods of Fortune in Japan.

How to Identify Jurojin: Jurojin is arguably the most difficult to identify. He is shown with the
tall hat seen here, but is otherwise very similar to Fukurokuju. He is commonly shown with a
deer, but in traditional art, Fukurokuju is usually shown with a white deer, while Jurojin is
accompanied by a black deer. This trend doesn’t seem to have carried over the Hansatsu and the
deer should not be used as an identifying feature for either.

Rarity: With Fukurokuju, one of the two hardest to find. More examples have been available
with Jurojin in the past six months, but only two with clear portraits. All others have been a
single type with very faint, unclear portraits. This is the only example of this type I’ve seen, and
is the most expensive piece included in this set.

< Image: 8 Bishamon >

BISHAMON
Also known as Bishamonten
God of healing, dignity, and defender against evil

History: Bishamon evolved from Vaisravana from India, who was the god of fortune, treasure,
and happiness. In Japan, he transformed into a defender against evil and guardian of Buddhist
values. He’s commonly mistaken as the god of war, but he is not meant to be violent; he defends
but does not attack. He bestows happiness and fortune through faith, straightforwardness, and
honor.

How to Identify Bishamon: His armor is his most distinguishing feature, and he’s usually seen
carrying a spear as well. He commonly holds a small tower in his other hand (in this example he
holds a jewel instead) and has a small beard.

Rarity: Hansatsu with Bishamon are uncommon and usually fairly expensive when they have a
good portrait. I’ve seen a couple examples like the one shown which suggests it’s one of the
more common designs for Bishamon, although they usually run $100-$150.

< Image: 9 Hotei >

HOTEI
God of fortune, popularity, and guardian of children

History: Hotei was the second God of Fortune based on a real person. He was a 10th century
Chinese Zen priest named Kaishi who was somewhat of an outcast in his time. He didn’t have a
consistent place to live and roamed around China, dressed like a rogue with a stomach too large
for his robes. He would beg for meat and fish, both of which were forbidden for priests, but was
an incredibly eloquent speaker who could quote Buddhist texts with excellent accuracy. The
Chinese began calling him “Ho-Tei-Shi,” for his odd appearance, meaning “old cloth bag.”
Today, he is known as the Fat Buddha or Happy Buddha outside of Japan.

How to Identify Hotei: Akin to his real-life appearance, Hotei is shown with his stomach
sticking out of his robes, in addition to large earlobes, a fan, and a cloth sack from which he is
said to pull good fortune. Daikoku also has a cloth sack, but Hotei will never have the rice bales
seen with Daikoku.

Rarity: Hotei is similar in rarity to Benten, possibly a bit harder to come by. I would consider
this a fairly average example for Hotei as far as the rarity of individual designs.

Note: All comments on rarity are based on approximately six months of pieces that have been
available for sale to the US. These are observations, not objective rules. Thanks to the lack of
useful references, there are no accessible guides for the rarity of different deities.

SOURCES

The Seven Lucky Gods of Japan by Reiko Chiba, copyright 1966, printed 1971
“Translating Han-Satsu” by David Atterton, printed in the International Bank Note Society
Journal, Issue 4, 1982
“Japanese Currency – Hansatsu” by Tet Oishi, Numismatic International Bulleting, Vol. 37 No.
8, 2002
“Hansatsu of Feudal Japan” by Toyo Yamato, International Bank Note Society Journal, Issue 2,
1981

http://banknoteden.com/Japan.html
https://blog.cgbfr.com/the-hansatsu-former-japanese-banknotes,7894.html
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4078405&view=1up&seq=13
https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/nihombashi-ebisu-ko/16187#:~:text=The%20Nihombashi
%20Ebisu-ko%20Bettara-ichi%20is%20a%20seasonal%20festival,move%20to%20a%20new
%20location%2C%20which%20became%20Odenma-cho.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fukurokuju