3-meter Tuna Offered at Nishinomiya’s Ebisu Shrine, God of Business Prosperity’s Head Shrine; Visitors Attach Money for ‘Wealth to Stick to You’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:26 JST, January 8, 2026

A 3-meter-long, 270-kilogram bluefin tuna was offered Thursday at Nishinomiya Shrine in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, known as the head shrine of Ebisu, the god of business prosperity.

It is believed that attaching money to the tuna brings wealth, and visitors eagerly stuck coins and bills onto it.

The Kobe City Eastern Fisheries Wholesale Cooperative and others have offered a tuna annually since 1970. This year’s tuna came from Chiba Prefecture. It would yield enough sashimi for 1,400 people.

After being offered at the main hall during the “Toka Ebisu” festival from Friday to Sunday, it will be cut up and distributed to those involved.

A 40-year-old company executive from Kyoto Prefecture, who stuck a 10,000-yen bill on it, said, “With prices rising relentlessly, it’s a tough time for business. I want to fatten up my company like this donated tuna.”