Front view of the Maruichi Shigaraki ware Wishing tanuki figurine, showing a compact round form with straw hat, paws clasped together holding a small ema wishing tablet, and wide-eyed upward expression.

Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Wishing Tanuki Figurine

Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Wishing Tanuki Figurine

Name: Maruichi Shigaraki Ware Wishing Tanuki Figurine
Brand: Maruichi
SKU: mot080010101
Price: 99.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$99.00

Some wishes are made quietly, hands clasped together, eyes wide with intention. The Wishing tanuki holds that posture in ceramic — paws pressed together at the chest, a small ema wooden wishing tablet hanging from them, the straw hat sitting low over a face that is earnest rather than jolly. Where the Fukufuku tanuki arrives with its arms full of fortune already in hand, this one is still in the asking, making it the figure people reach for when the wish matters most. Maruichi produces this version in Shigaraki, one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns, in the coarse iron-rich clay the region has fired since the medieval period. As a gift it carries a particular directness: it tells the person receiving it that someone held a specific hope on their behalf and chose to give it a form.

Details

Size: W 4.1in x L 3.3in x H 4.7in / W 10.5cm x L 8.5cm x H 12cm
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 Wishing Tanuki Figurine

$99.00

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.