This mouse-shaped incense container is a charming example of the Fushimi Ningyō (伏見人形), one of Japan’s oldest forms of folk clay dolls. Handmade and individually painted, it represents the playful spirit and artistic refinement of Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward, where this craft has been nurtured for centuries.
The rat sitting clutching a rice bale conveys a message of abundant fortune, good harvest, and protection of the household’s food and wealth. It’s a lucky motif — celebrating not only material prosperity but also gratitude for the blessings of daily life.
Created by Ōnishi Jūtarō Shōten (大西重太郎商店)—a distinguished sixth-generation family-run workshop—the piece embodies the deep cultural traditions of Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari area, long celebrated for its craftsmanship and spiritual vitality. The mouse, often associated with prosperity and cleverness in Japanese folklore, rests upon a vividly colored rice bale, symbolizing abundance and good fortune.
