(The Conversation) — Hotei, a Japanese god who carries a large sack, has come to be identified with Santa Claus – except that he brings the goodies on New Year’s Day instead of Christmas.

Hotei hands out gifts to children. Detail of print by Kuniyoshi Utagawa, 1798-1861, via Wikimedia CommonsThe new year brings a fresh start, symbolized in some cultures by the cherubic baby New ...

The Zen monk who became the Laughing Buddha One of the names for the Laughing Buddha is “Cloth Bag,” which is pronounced “Budai” in Chinese and “Hotei” in Japanese.

The Buddha of Hotei appears to wink from behind "sunglasses" when a train passes and the two warning lights at the crossing flash red alternately, in Konan, Aichi Prefecture, April 24, 2025 ...

We can likely thank toy shops, department stores and supermarkets for making Santa a holiday icon in Japan. However, it’s also because Father Christmas is similar in shape and personality to another ...

Hotei or Pu-Tai is better known as the Laughing Buddha. The image of Hotei is based on a Chinese Zen monk who lived over 1000 years ago.

KONAN, Aichi -- The Great Buddha of Hotei here was lit up in blue to celebrate Japan's victory in the 5th World Baseball Classic (WBC) on March 22.

In Japan, children look forward to a visit from Hotei, a jolly Japanese god with a rotund frame. GanrefAs Christmas approaches, children in many parts of the world look forward to a visit from the ...

This same text suggests that hotei is an incarnation of the future buddha maitreya . Hotei's well-fed appearance and bag of treasures represented abundance in China and Japan.