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Binbōgami (貧乏神 Binbōgami, lit. God of Poverty) is a god who brings poverty and misfortune to whoever he haunts.
Appearance[]
Binbōgami is an old man with a long thin face, shoulder-length gray hair, and eyes that have small black pupils. He wears a light green tattered kimono, with a rope tied around his waist, he also does not have any footwear and is carrying a a long wooden staff.
In the 2018 anime, Binbōgami is an old man with a long thin face, pale skin, shoulder length gray hair and a few stubbles around his mouth. His eyes are sharp and have white sclerae with black pupils. His outfit consists of a faded brown tattered kimono, with a faded gray obi tied around his waist. He goes around barefoot and has wooden staff to help him walk.[1]
History[]
1971 Anime[]
1985 Anime[]
2018 Anime[]
The Great Yōkai War: Guardians[]
Binbōgami appeared in the manga adaptation of the film.
Powers and Abilities[]
Binbōgami's powers
Misfortune Manipulation: Being a spirit of poverty, he is able to cause misfortune for the people of the home he inhabits, where his mere presence can bring them financial problems.[1]
Selective Invisibility: He can make himself invisible to those he chooses, especially those of the home he haunts. However, those who have experienced with yōkai activity can already see him. With enough focus, those who could not perceive him will be able to see him as well.[1]
Teleportation: He is able to appear somewhere at will, flashing quickly while doing so.[1]
Equipment[]
Wooden Staff: He carries around a wooden stand that he uses to help him in walking.[1]
Legend[]
200pxMizuki's illustration of Binbōgami
Binbōgami is a deity that induces poverty in homes it inhabits. He resembles an emaciated old man wearing rags carrying an uchiwa fan and a kendama. He is said to enjoy miso, which can be used in a ritual to remove him from your home. Make fried rice and miso, place them on an oshiki board, take it out the back door and pour them into a nearby river. The smell of the miso will attract the Binbōgami and remove him from your home.
In 1821, a servant of an Edo samurai family that regularly suffered disasters went to Sōka on a business trip and encountered a priest. The servant asked where the monk came from, and he replied that he was going to the house the servant worked for. The servant told him that he had never seen him there before. To which the monk revealed that he was a Binbōgami and that he was responsible for all the illnesses and misfortunes that happened in the family and that the reason why the family had not fallen into ruin yet despite the misery they endured was because of the legacy of their ancestors. The Binbōgami then replied that he would be leaving the family as they had faced enough distress and that from now on, they would be blessed and no longer be in debt. After the servant and the Binbōgami parted ways, the servant finished his business and returned to the samurai residence where it soon gradually began to prosper, just as Binbōgami had said.