This is a handcrafted Fushimi Doll Kōgō (香盒) — an incense container from Kyoto’s renowned folk craft tradition of Fushimi Ningyō (伏見人形). It is a traditional Kyoto clay doll with a history tracing back to the Edo period. Made by Ōnishi Jūtarō Shōten (大西重太郎商店), a renowned sixth-generation family workshop in Kyoto’s historic Fushimi Ward, the piece embodies centuries of Japanese folk artistry and craftsmanship.
Shaped as a white ram with a soft pearlescent finish, the figure carries on its back a golden Hōju (宝珠), or flaming jewel — a sacred symbol in Buddhist iconography that represents wisdom, enlightenment, and the granting of wishes. The jewel is rendered in bold gold and red, radiating spiritual power and protection.
This small yet striking kōgō is not only a functional incense holder but also a symbolic object evoking auspiciousness, purity, and spiritual grace. Traditionally, Fushimi dolls like this have been sold as talismans near Fushimi Inari Shrine, and their forms — often animals or folkloric figures — carry meanings of luck, fertility, and divine protection.
An exquisite collectible for lovers of Japanese folk art, incense, or Buddhist symbolism.
