Three-quarter view of the Maruichi Shigaraki ware Reclining tanuki figurine, showing the figure lying on its back with belly upward, hat tilted, and a sake flask held loosely in one paw.

Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Reclining Tanuki Figurine

Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Reclining Tanuki Figurine

Name: Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Reclining Tanuki Figurine
Brand: Maruichi
SKU: mot080020101
Price: 49.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$49.00

Not every tanuki is standing at the door with something to offer. This one is on its back, belly upward, hat askew, holding a sake flask with the particular ease of someone who has decided the day is done. The Reclining tanuki is a different kind of presence from the Fukufuku or the Wishing — less about fortune arriving or wishes being made, more about the contentment that comes after. In Japanese folklore the tanuki is associated with conviviality and good cheer as much as prosperity, and this form captures that side of the tradition without apology. Maruichi produces it in Shigaraki clay, fired in the coarse iron-rich material the region has worked since the medieval period. On a desk, a shelf, or a windowsill, it sits exactly as it appears — settled, unhurried, and entirely at ease.

Details

Size: W 4.5in x L 2.2in x H 3in / W 11.5cm x L 5.5cm x H 7.5cm
Material: Ceramic

Care & Use

Dust regularly with a soft cloth or dry brush to keep the surface clean
For light soiling, wipe with a soft sponge lightly dampened with water or lukewarm water
For heavier soiling, use a diluted mild detergent, then wipe thoroughly with a clean damp cloth to remove any residue
After cleaning, allow to dry fully; residual moisture can lead to mold or surface deterioration
Place on a stable, level surface to prevent tipping
If displaying outdoors, move to a sheltered location such as under eaves during winter; water retained inside the piece can freeze and cause cracking when temperatures drop below freezing
In humid environments, moss or algae may develop on the surface; remove periodically with a soft brush and gentle rinse with water

Check our tips for Care Information.

Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Reclining Tanuki Figurine

$49.00

Meet the Artisan

Maruichi

Maruichi sits directly beside Shigaraki Station, at the point where the town's ceramic tradition meets the people who come looking for it. The store sources its tanuki figurines from the kilns of the surrounding region, working within a production culture where maker and seller have historically occupied the same small geography. That proximity matters. In Shigaraki, the tanuki is not a souvenir category but a sustained craft form, made from the same clay and fired in the same kilns as the ware that has defined the town for centuries. The figurines Maruichi carries express the 8 attributes that give the form its cultural weight: the straw hat as protection against hardship, the wide eyes for clear judgment, the sake flask for virtue, the account book for trust, the large belly for calm deliberation, the money pouch for financial fortune, the tail for steadiness, and the face as the seat of good will. Placed at an entrance, the tanuki is understood to carry intention rather than decoration, and the Shigaraki makers who produce them treat the form accordingly. Maruichi's role is to keep that chain of meaning intact, from kiln to the hands of the people who will live with these objects.