Whale worship

[2] In medieval times, Ebisu's ancestry was linked to that of "Hiruko", the first child of Izanagi and Izanami, born without bones (or, in some legends, arms and legs) due to his mother's transgression throughout the marriage rite.

[3] According to the legend, Hiruko washed ashore—possibly in Ezo (蝦夷, ancient Hokkaidō)—and was cared for by the Ainu Ebisu Saburo (戎三郎).

[6] In certain cultures, Ebisu is often synonymous with artifacts that can float ashore from the sea, such as logs and even bodies, in addition to being a god of fishing, prosperity, and fortune.

[11] In many Chinese cultures, whales were treated as mystical beings and were called "Ocean Chief" and "Sea Dragon King".

[13] All along Vietnam's 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi) coastline, fishing cultures worship giant whales, whom they regard as their guardian angels, a religious practice that scholars believe is unique to the region.

Vietnamese fishermen believe that whale genies are still watching over them, saving them from the perils of the sea and aiding them in meeting their obstacles.

Cau Ngu festival is held annually on the 16th day of the first lunar month in many coastal provinces in Vietnam with many participants.

[18] "Nghinh Ong Thang Tam Vung Tau" festival, which lasts from August 15 to 18 in the lunar calendar, includes rituals such as praying the sea gods, a procession of the whale god from the sea to the Thang Tam Temple (often known as "The Whale Temple") and hosting a feast to ancestors and heroic martyrs.

[19] There is another Nghinh Ong festival which takes place in Cần Giờ district, Ho Chi Minh City.

[20][21] At the Vạn Thủy Tú relic temple in coastal town Phan Thiết, a 20-meter-long whale skeleton, Vietnam's largest, is on display.

In the south-central province of Bình Thuận, Vạn Thủy Tú is located on Ngu Ong Street, Duc Thang Ward, about 150 meters from Phan Thiết Port.

It took two days to bring it to the temple, which had its front gate demolished in the process due to its size, which was over 20 meters long and weighed 65 tons, while awaiting a funeral ceremony.

When the body had finally decomposed after three years, the ashes were retrieved, washed with water and good spirits, and then transferred to the temple's back to be worshipped and stored.

In contrast to the Vietnamese people, the Japanese were awestruck by the huge animals that swam the vast oceans, but when whales beached, their carcasses were used for food and equipment, supplementing the locals' profits.

[23] The Ebisu, to whom Japanese fishermen pray for a good catch while fishing, as well as the Ebisu-sama enshrined on the coasts of fishing villages or in each fisherman's household's Ebisu altar (regardless of the particular form of the enshrined object of worship), are now regarded as one of the Seven Deities of Good Fortune by the fishermen themselves (Naumann, 1974, p. 2).

Thousands of tourists flock to Ebisu Shrine at this period to perform a simple rite of prayer for continued progress in their work and company.