This vintage 90s shikishi print from Kasuga Taisha 春日大社 features a cheerful inu hariko 犬張子 motif on a warm gold-toned shikishi board. The red shrine stamp 春日神社 appears at the lower left, marking its connection to Kasuga Taisha, one of Nara’s most important and historic Shinto shrines.
The artwork shows a colorful folk-style dog with bright red, orange, green, purple, and yellow details. Its rounded form, playful expression, and decorative saddle-like pattern give the piece a joyful and nostalgic feeling. The calligraphy 招福 means “inviting good fortune,” making this shikishi especially auspicious.
Inu hariko is a traditional Japanese papier-mâché dog charm, often associated with protection, safe childbirth, healthy children, family happiness, and good luck. Dogs are considered loyal and protective animals, and in Japanese folk belief they are also connected with easy childbirth and the well-being of young children. This print beautifully combines that protective meaning with the bright celebratory mood of shrine zodiac art.
This piece belongs to a 90s zodiac shikishi series from Kasuga Taisha. Other zodiac animals from the same series are also available, though the full set of twelve years is not complete, so each piece is sold separately. Please feel free to contact me if you are looking for another zodiac animal from this series.
