Tokoname Maneki Neko Coin Bank, Lucky Cat Statue with Gold Koban 23 cm

A ceramic maneki neko 招き猫 lucky cat from the Tokoname-yaki 常滑焼 tradition in Aichi Prefecture — one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns (六古窯), and the historical capital of maneki neko production. The figure stands 23 cm tall (about 9 inches), with its left paw raised in the classic maneki greeting, its right paw resting on a large gold ōban-style coin inscribed with the Edo-era auspicious phrase 千万両 sen-man-ryō ("ten million ryō" — a wish for vast wealth), and a smaller gold disc above bearing the kanji 福 fuku ("fortune"). A gold-glitter pad sits on its chest under the coin, beneath a hand-painted red collar dotted with blue and silver accents.

The body is white with soft airbrushed tortoiseshell-style orange-and-brown shadow spots on the ears, the side flank, the back, the raised paw, and the tail — the characteristic "burnt-edge" sumi airbrush technique used by Tokoname maneki neko makers to soften the otherwise stark white slip. The face is hand-painted: orange-rimmed black pupils with yellow irises, a salmon-pink nose, fine sumi-black whiskers and mouth lines, red painted ear-interiors, and small red brush-tip claws.

This piece is a chokin-bako 貯金箱 — a coin bank. A coin-insertion slot is set into the top of the head (visible from the rear view), and the figure functions as both a decorative maneki neko statue and an everyday savings vessel. Ships in a printed gift box.

About the size designation

This maneki neko comes in a graded size series 4号 to 10号 (size 4 through size 10) — this listing is the 7号 (size 7) variant. The 号 numeral is a Japanese pottery-trade catalogue label, not a centimetre measurement; the actual measured dimensions for size 7 are 16.5 cm wide × 14 cm deep × 23 cm tall. Other sizes in the series are proportionally larger or smaller; if you'd like a different size, please get in touch and we'll source it.

About this piece

Tokoname-yaki maneki neko from Aichi Prefecture, Japan, curated by ZenKiln. Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture has been the centre of Japanese maneki neko production since the late 19th century, after Edo-period Asakusa potters migrated their porcelain-figure techniques westward and Tokoname's redware-clay industry adapted them at scale. Today the city's main streetscape includes the famous "Maneki-Neko Dōri" lane lined with hundreds of giant maneki neko sculptures, a recognition of the town's identity as the spiritual home of the lucky-cat figure.

The left-paw-raised orientation is one of two standard maneki configurations (the other is right-paw-raised); each is associated with different traditional connotations in Japanese folklore — left-paw is most often described as inviting people / customers / connections, while right-paw is associated with inviting money / fortune. Interpretations vary by source, and many households simply choose the form they prefer visually.

Use & care

A decorative coin bank — place on a desk, shelf, shop counter, or genkan entryway. The figure has a sealed base; coins inserted through the head slot stay inside until you choose to release them (some Tokoname maneki neko have a rubber stopper underneath; others must be broken to retrieve coins — confirm with us before depositing high-value coins if removal will matter to you). Dust gently with a soft dry cloth. Avoid water immersion and household cleaners (the airbrush and hand-paint decoration is durable but not designed for wet abrasion).