According
to Japanese legend, a poor widowed woman and her daughter lived in a hut on
a plain of pampas grass near the Kishimojin
Shrine. When the mother fell ill, the daughter had no money to buy medicine.
The poor girl went to the shrine every night to pray for her mother. In a dream,
the gods showed her how to use the pampas grass to make these owls. She sold
the owls at the shrine, and soon she had earned enough money to pay for doctors
and medicine for her mother. Even today, the owl symbolizes the close and caring
relationship betweeen a mother and her child. In Japanese, a slang term for
"mother" is fukuro, or "owl."
The tortoise and the crane are the most popular symbols of longevity and
good fortune in Japan. The tortoise symbolizes long life because its great age
shows how one can endure through many years. The crane is a symbol of soaring
beauty and aspiration; it shows that one can go beyond mere endurance. Both
these toys are made of rice stalks and grains to signify prosperity.
The
badger or tanuki is a mysterious and playful creature. Like the fox he
is a trickster who bewitches people, but usually in a jovial, benevolent way.
In folklore he is always accompanied by several items which all have special
meaning. His pilgrim hat provides protection from sun and rain as well as from
sorrow and anxiety. His large eyes see the truth clearly and protect him from
confusion and mistakes. His smile shows that he has a happy nature. In one hand
he carries a sake flask which symbolizes both virtue and profit. In the other
hand he carries an account book which shows that he is shrewd in business dealings.
His plump stomach symbolizes prosperity. His tail signifies that he sticks with
things until the end.
The
horse is considered a sacred animal. It is said to be the messenger of the gods
and has always played an important role in Japanese folk belief. Traditionally,
on the fifth day of the fifth month people decorate their horses with long strips
of cloth in five colors. They attach bells to the cloth and lead the horses
to the shrine where they offer prayers for the good health and good fortune
of their horses. This is the one day of each year when horses are not required
to work.
© 2003 Steve and Katie Kohl
