KAWAII Animals

A rabbit, a polar bear, a cat, a crane. One small creature somewhere on a piece is enough to soften the whole table.

They are made exactly like everything else here. Thrown, painted, fired. Somewhere in the middle of that the maker decided it should be a rabbit. It is the shelf both children and adults reach for first, and it is chosen as a gift more often than anything else.

Animals on Japanese pottery carry meanings that go back centuries. Cranes and turtles stand for long life, rabbits belong to the moon, and cats are said to bring fortune in at the door. Knowing what the motifs carry gives you something to say when you hand one over. They also make an easy first piece for someone new to Japanese ceramics. For gifts, see choosing pottery as a present.