制作：宝暦10（1760）年 製作者：工匠　板垣伊兵衛　　塗師　山中 佐七 全体的な意匠については定錺屋台と二層屋台の過渡期の屋台形式と思われる。塗りは朱塗りを主とし金箔が多く使われている。
屋台の建造については、当時村上藩の鮮魚の御用達商人であった播磨屋甚蔵の構想により美しく均整のとれた屋台が完成したと言い伝えられている。恵比須を乗せ物に選らんだことは、その神の力によって、商売繁盛を期待したためと思われる。恵比寿像は播磨屋甚蔵が自ら京都の人形師を訪ね依頼したことにより、心魂をこめて制作されたと伝わる。

Year of Construction: 1760 (Hōreki 10)
Craftsman: Itagaki Ihei
Lacquerwork: Yamanaka Sashichi

The overall design of this float is considered to represent a transitional style between the traditional decorative (kazari) float and the later two-tiered structure. It features a vivid vermilion lacquer finish with extensive use of gold leaf, creating a refined and elegant appearance.

According to tradition, the float was designed under the vision of Harimaya Jinzo, a merchant who served as an official supplier of fresh fish to the Murakami domain. His concept is said to have resulted in a beautifully balanced and harmonious structure.

The choice of Ebisu as the mounted figure reflects a wish for prosperity in commerce through the deity’s divine power. It is also said that Jinzo personally visited a doll maker in Kyoto to commission the Ebisu statue, which was crafted with great care and devotion.

「大鯛にまたがった恵比須像」釣り竿の代わりに葉つきの竹を肩にしている。大きな像のために特別飾り台は設けないで、二階そのものを飾り台に見立てている。

「恵比須」は七福神の一つで、蛭子神（ひるこのかみ）とも事代主尊（ことしろぬしのみこと）ともいわれる。
江戸時代の人情本には「ひること申すはゑびすのこと」とある。事代主命は、因幡の白兎で有名な大国主命（おおくにぬしのみこと）の子とされる。大国主は大黒天に習合する。恵比須は異郷から訪れて漁をもたらす神であり、漂着する神である。いわゆる寄り神信仰の代表である。また商家では商売繫昌の神として祀られ、農家では豊穣の神として崇められ、一般では台所の神とされる。
姿は烏帽子に狩衣、指貫を着し釣り竿を持つ。
肴町の人びとは城主・堀丹後守直竒の城郭譜請に尽力した功によって魚の専売権を与えられ、以後その許状によって利益をあげ渡世してきた町であり、漁業振興者が信仰する恵比須を乗せ物に定めたことは、その神のもつ霊力によって、さらなる繁栄を期待したものである。
制作依頼者の播磨屋（本名鈴木）甚蔵は、当町で村上領主・内藤家の鮮魚御用達であり、俳諧にも通じた文化人であった。俳号は二麓園由章と称し、門下は多く、村上地方の俳諧を風靡した。甚蔵が恵比須像を発注した人形師の名は不明であるが京都の人形師である。播磨屋甚蔵が自ら京都の人形師を訪ね、屋台の寸法などを詳細に伝え、年齢は42歳（分別ざかりの頃）の年格好にして、一丈の高さに飾って下から見上げて丁度良い様に、…と依頼したと伝えられている。

Statue of Ebisu Riding a Large Sea Bream

This figure depicts Ebisu seated atop a large sea bream. Instead of a fishing rod, he carries a bamboo branch with leaves over his shoulder. Due to the size of the statue, no separate platform is used; instead, the entire second level of the float serves as the display stage.

Ebisu is one of the Seven Lucky Gods and is also identified with Hiruko-no-Kami or Kotoshironushi-no-Mikoto. In Edo-period literature, it is said that “Hiruko is another name for Ebisu.” Kotoshironushi is regarded as the son of Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, a deity associated with Daikokuten.

Ebisu is believed to be a deity who comes from distant lands, bringing fishing prosperity and fortune. As such, he is a representative figure of the yorigami (visiting deity) belief. He is widely worshipped as a god of prosperity in commerce, a deity of abundant harvest in agriculture, and even as a household guardian of the kitchen.

He is traditionally depicted wearing a court cap (eboshi), a hunting robe (kariginu), and trousers (sashinuki), holding a fishing rod.

The people of Sakana-machi were granted exclusive rights to fish distribution through their service to the local lord, Hori Tango-no-Kami Naoyori, and prospered under this privilege. For this reason, they chose Ebisu—revered by those involved in fishing—as the mounted figure, expressing their hope for continued prosperity through his divine power.

The commissioner of the statue, Harimaya Jinzo (family name Suzuki), was an official fish supplier to the Naito clan, the feudal lords of Murakami. He was also a cultured man well-versed in haikai poetry, known by the pen name Nirokuen Yushō, and had many disciples, greatly influencing the literary culture of the region.

Although the name of the doll maker who created the Ebisu statue is unknown, it is said that he was a craftsman from Kyoto. Jinzo personally visited Kyoto to place the order, carefully specifying the dimensions of the float and requesting that the figure represent a mature man of about 42 years of age, designed to be displayed at a height of approximately three meters so that it would appear well-balanced when viewed from below.

大紋は乗せ物の恵比須にちなんで「惠」の文字、地模様は縦縞に半円の勾玉巴紋と筋交いの法被である。勾玉巴紋を半分に切った形は、鯛に見立てているといわれ、乗せ物の恵比須と関連した図案である。裾柄は山道となっている。

The main crest features the character “Kei” (惠), derived from Ebisu, the mounted figure on the float.

The base pattern consists of vertical stripes combined with a half-circle magatama tomoe motif and diagonal cross lines, forming the design of the happi coat. The halved magatama tomoe shapes are said to resemble sea bream, linking the design to Ebisu, who is often associated with this fish.

The hem pattern is based on a mountain path motif.