Engimono

Crane in pottery

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Engimono is good-luck talisman.
Most of the engimonos comes from Shintoism or Buddhism.

I list many kinds of engimono as follows.
You will find those images everywhere in Japan

and see them in Japanese pottery.

Animals,
Crane (Tsuru): Crane has a long life span.

Japanese proverb “Crane has 1000 year life span.
Turtle has 10000 year life span.”

So, the crane is a symbol of long life.

Turtle (Kame): Turtle has a long life span

and is a symbol of long life too.

Goldfish (Kingyo): They have white and red patterns.

They are good-luck colors.

Carp (Koi): They have white and red patterns.

They are good-luck colors.

White snake (Shiro-hebi): White is a symbol of Shintoism.

The white snake is a messenger of god and a god of water.

Red snapper (Tai): “Medetai” is happy in English.

Tai is a part the word. That’s the reason it is a happy symbol.

Frog (Kaeru): “Kaeru” is frog and return in Japanese.

Japanese stores keep the frog in front of door,

because they want customers come back.

Some Japanese people collect frog goods,

because they wish their family to come back safely every day.

Raccoon (Tanuki): Raccoon is “tanuki” in Japanese.

“Ta” is other and “Nuku” is overtake or get ahead in Japanese.

Japanese stores keep raccoon goods at the store,

because they wish their business to overtake others

and to get the advantage.

Other animals: Rabbit, Owl and Cat.