The Seven Gods

Overview

What is the 「The Seven Gods」??…

「The Seven Gods 」is「 Shichifukujin（The Seven Lucky Gods)」

Shichifukujin are one of Japan’s most cherished cultural symbols, representing seven deities who bring happiness and fortune to everyday life. The name itself reflects their nature: “Shichi” means seven, “Fuku” means lucky, and “Jin” means gods.

Looking into their history, although Shichifukujin are widely revered in Japan, only one of them—Ebisu—actually originates from Japanese mythology. The remaining six deities have roots in India and China, reflecting Japan’s unique culture of adopting and integrating elements from various traditions.

A cultural practice known as Shichifukujin Meguri (Seven Lucky Gods Pilgrimage) also exists in Japan. This tradition, typically observed from January 1st to 7th, involves visiting shrines and temples dedicated to each of Shichifukujin to receive their blessings for the new year.

In this performance, Shichifukujin wear masks, symbolizing their divine personas. However, beneath these masks lie their true emotions—hidden truths that play a crucial role in driving the story forward.

Synopsis

The story takes place at a shrine on New Year’s Day. Shichifukujin have gathered to grant people’s wishes. As worshippers take turns offering their prayers, a young girl suddenly bursts in.

“Please save my mother—”

Her wish concerns a human life. However, the gods are bound by a sacred law: they must not interfere with human fate. Breaking this rule is forbidden.

Yet, despite being gods, they have emotions. Doubt creeps into their hearts—should they uphold the law, or defy it? As the debate unfolds, each god is forced to confront their own beliefs and make a choice.

Then comes the moment of decision—

As gods and as beings with emotions, what choice will they make?

※At the beginning of the performance, there will be an opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese custom. Up to five audience members can participate on a first-come, first-served basis. Participation is entirely optional, so if you are interested, please feel free to let us know at the reception desk.

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The following items, used during the performance, are available for purchase at the venue.

Tenugui (Japanese hand towel) featuring the design used in the performance
Furoshiki (wrapping cloth) featuring the design used in the performance
Drinks (including Japanese green tea)
Light snacks (edamame, dorayaki)

These items will help you experience the atmosphere of the performance even more!

※The available payment methods are: Cash, Venmo, Zelle

Creative/Production

Director/Choreographer: Tamaki Horibe

Assistant Director: Ryoka Matsumoto

Assistant Director/Choreographer: Fuka Kojima

Choreographer: Tomoe Tatewaki

Vocal Line Composer: Liana Kurogi

Costume Designer: Miu Koike

Logo Designer: Yuka Matsumoto

Flyer Designer: Ai Tsujimoto

Produced by: Edamovement Lab

Collaborating Partner: wuhao newyork Tenugui Art

Official Sponsor: Brooklyn Ball Factory

Hosted by: RESOBOX

About the Production

Edamovement Lab

“A Bold Challenge by Young Artists!! A Performance Conveying Japanese Culture Without Words in a Foreign Land.”

Objective:
Our mission is to convey Japanese culture in a foreign land without the use of words. As the name “Eda-Movement Lab” suggests, we are committed to exploring the art of expression through movement.

Being artists in a foreign land like New York, we want to take advantage of our unique position. In a place where language barriers exist, we have learned to connect and communicate with others through something beyond words. We aim to fully utilize this experience and share stories with our audience.

By harnessing everything we have learned and cultivated as young artists, we seek to break free from the traditional labels of “actors” and “dancers” and create a new form of expression. Our goal is to share this not only with those familiar with Japanese culture but also with a much wider audience.

Although the story revolves around gods—beings beyond human—many of the themes explored, such as relationships between the deities, the challenges they face, morality, ethics, and the interpretation of laws, resonate deeply with human society. In addition to introducing Japanese culture and our innovative form of expression, we place great importance on these underlying themes.

Background:
Each of the three founding members had a dream—“One day, I want to create a work from scratch.” When we realized that securing a venue in New York could turn that “one day” into “now,” we came together and launched this project.

From finding a performance space to developing the theme, story, and message, we have been able to prepare for this production with the help of our cast and many collaborators. When considering what only we could create, we decided to embrace a theme deeply connected to Japan—“Shichifukujin” (The Seven Lucky Gods).”

Thus, as the inaugural performance of Eda Movement, we proudly present this project.