ShichiFukujin (Seven Good Luck Gods) Includes 'A Red Dot'

I introduced an international gods group called "Shichifukujin (Seven Good Luck Gods)" in my previous post on the October 2nd. The Shichifukujin gods are very popular and many Shinto shrines and Buddhism temples all over Japan worship them separately.

In the Shichifukujin Gods, only "Benzaiten" is a goddess. In Japanese language, there is an idiom to express this situation. When people see only woman in a group she is called "Kouitten (a red dot)" in the group. So we can say "Benzaiten" goddess is "Kouitten (a red dot)" in the gods group.

The origin of the idiom is an ancient Chinese poetry and it was telling about only red flower blooming in a green bush and it is standing out. Then the word turned to be used for the situation that there is only woman/girl in a group. 

Unfortunately there is no antonym of the idiom for a man in a women's group. Perhaps we should create a new idiom like "only green dot for the opposite situation?

The shrine in the lower photos is a "Benzaiten Shrine" inside of Yakuo-in Temple on Mt. Takao in Tokyo. It is inconspicuous and located in backside of temple buildings, so it would be a kind of off-the-beaten-track place on the temple ground. When you have a chance to visit Mt. Takao Yakuo-in Temple, please check the hidden "A red dot of Shichifukujin" shrine!