Kevin Riley Inc

2007 has already gotten off to a great start, and today Rieko and I performed one more act to ensure a wildly successful year. We went and visited with Ebisu.

Who in blazes is Ebisu?

He’s this pudgy guy, right here. He’s the god of business.

Osaka has always been a city of merchants. Making money is a big part of the culture of Osaka. In fact, an old greeting here is, “Are you making any money?”

On the 10th of January every year, we celebrate Toka Ebisu. Over a million people will flock to Imamiya-Ebisu Shrine over a 3-day period from the 9th to 11th. It is a crazy pushing, shoving crowd that fights its way into the crowded shrine grounds … to get the blessings of Ebisu.

Every merchant in Osaka wants to get a branch of Sasa (the whispy branches of the bamboo tree). We get carried along in a seething river of people, until we can get close enough to the shrine maidens to buy our lucky charms for the Sasa.

I bought a set of 3 straw rice caskets and a gold coin talisman. These will dangle on the Sasa — which decorates the wall above my main computer — for a full year. Then, at the next Toka Ebisu, we will return the Sasa and get a new one.

As we leave the shrine — after pounding on Ebisu’s backdoor, so he’ll be sure to hear our wishes — we walk through a ton of food stalls and lucky charm vendors. All around, we hear the chant of the merchants. “Shoubai hanchou, sasa motte koi”.

Here we are, just got home and holding our new Sasa — for a fantastic 2007.

Coming this week

I’m opening a new opportunity to make great commissions on the popular Product Creation Lab “How To Make A Hot-Selling E-book In 8 Easy Steps”. I will be giving those who have joined Mission: Make Money Online, and those who bought the WSO release, first go at this (You’ll be receiving an e-mail from me shortly).

But don’t fret, the promo will be available to the rest of you a week later.

“Shoubai hanchou, sasa motte koi”. Let’s make this a year of unrivaled profits — Ebisu will smile upon us.