「招き猫」と「福助人形」

By Lisa Vogt

　日本では「招き猫」が出迎えるお店が多くあります。さらによく見渡してみると、招き猫以外にも、お店の前には人形や立像が置かれています。リサさんは今回、日本でどんな人形たちを見つけたのでしょうか？

　"I'd like to borrow even a cat's hand" or to put the last part in correct English, "a cat's paw" -- is a sentence that I overheard the other day. Huh? Borrow a cat's paw? What on earth for? Could it be that a cat's paw is like a rabbit's foot where I come from?

　For some strange reason, carrying a dried-out rabbit's foot is supposed to bring people good luck. I know, I know… imagining such an item is weird and a bit grotesque, but you'd be surprised how often you see rabbit's foot key chains in North America and Europe!

　I asked my Japanese friend what the cat's paw phrase meant and she told me that people say this when they are extremely busy. Even a useless cat's paw might be of some help goes the logic. How interesting!

　It seems that many stores in Japan get supernatural help from various unique figurines. For example, there are countless maneki neko all over Japan that lure in business. The raised cat's paw invites customers into the store and raking in their cash, makes the shop so busy that they'll want to enlist the help of a cat's paw!

　When I first saw a bowing Fukusuke doll I couldn't stop laughing because all that was visible was the top of his blue shaven head with that vertical strip of topknot hair! Fukusuke has long earlobes which are considered a symbol of wealth.

　The doll is bowing to customers when they enter as if to say "welcome" and then when they leave it's "thank you for your business." Maneki neko and Fukusuke dolls have magically lured me into many a shop.

　In front of many small traditional pharmacies you'll find a cute orange elephant and frog, Sato-chan and Kero-chan. I recently found out that Sato-chan has a companion, Satoko-chan, and Kero-chan also has a buddy, Koro-chan. The whole gang can often be found sitting together in front of stores enticing customers to come on inside.

　Long ago when space was not the luxury it is today, one could find mountable Sato-chan and Kero-chan. Children would get on top of Sato-chan and parents would insert 10 yen into an attached box and the mascots would, to the children's delight, start moving.

　A fun ride in front of a store that sells bitter medicine. How ingenious! I love these catchy and adorable characters and I miss them because so many drugstores today are big chains that don't have these statues and the old-store charm that comes with them.

　Peko-chan, a little girl with pigtails and tongue sticking out the side of her mouth with a yummy look on her face stands in front of a famous confectionery that can be found throughout Japan.

　She helps attract customers with her often-changing costume that reflects the season or commemorates some special event. She is a valuable member of the store's advertising and marketing team.

　Oh and I mustn't forget the old colonel. In Osaka when the Hanshin Tigers won the Japan Series in 1985, the overly excited fans threw Colonel Sanders into Dotonbori canal. People followed suit and jumped into the murky waters in celebration.

　It was after this that it seemed the team had been cursed because of its long losing streak. KFC's Colonel Sanders statue is an icon in Japan. The colonel is dressed in a yukata or happi coat in the summer and around Christmastime he dons a Santa costume.

　The only Colonel Sanders statue that I have ever seen in the United States is at Louisville, Kentucky, where the company headquarters is located.

　These people of Osaka in their euphoria over winning the championship went overboard (literally and figuratively) and forgot to keep respect in check. A lucky cat, a chonmage-hair doll, an orange elephant and green frog, a pigtailed girl and a senior citizen in a white suit are all unique Japanese storefront muses that deserve special recognition. A big applause to these delightful and magical entities please!