After years of putting it off and eventually forgetting about it, I recently remembered a photo I took during my first visit to the Land of the Rising Sun. Curious, I decided to look into the figure in the photo. It turned out to be a ceramic statuette of a tanuki—a Japanese raccoon dog.
To my surprise, I had always thought the tanuki was purely a character from Japanese folklore, but it’s actually a real animal too!
The statuette features a wide-brimmed straw hat, big round eyes, a sake bottle, a note or scroll, a large belly, and exaggerated anatomical features. These idols are believed to bring good fortune and are a cherished part of Japanese culture.
Now that I finally know what it is, I guess it’s time to share the photo!
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