Collection: Maneki Neko and Lucky Charms

In Japan, people like to keep small objects that bring good luck close at hand. They are placed at the entrance of a shop, on a shelf or a desk, or given as a gift to mark a new beginning.

The best known is the maneki neko, the “beckoning cat”. Sitting with one paw raised, it makes the Japanese gesture for “come here”. It is said to attract luck and customers, which is why it is so often seen in shops. We offer several porcelain versions: figurines in different colours, small cats to display, piggy banks and little bells.

The daruma, round and red, stands for perseverance. According to tradition, you paint in one eye when making a wish, then the second when it comes true. It belongs to the okiagari, Japanese roly-poly dolls that always get back up, as the proverb says: “fall seven times, get up eight”.

The collection brings together other familiar figures: the tanuki, often associated with prosperity; the frog, kaeru in Japanese, a word that also means “to return”; kokeshi dolls; the dragon; the rabbit; and the namazu, the catfish of Japanese legend.

Most of these lucky charms are made of porcelain and made in Japan. You will also find papier-mâché daruma, paper masks, kites and small decorative objects bearing their image. They make lovely, affordable gifts to wish someone good luck.