Dogs vs Cats

There seem to be two types of people in life, Cat people and Dog people. I was always a cat person until I got my first puppy and that is when I wised up and became a dog person.

When I first started working at JANM I was convinced that the Inu Hariko was a cat because of its pointy ears and long whiskers and as it turns out I am not the only one making this common mistake. The Inu Hariko literally translates as paper-mache dog and is a traditional folk toy modeled after the Shiba Inu, a small Japanese sporting dog that has pointy ears, fox like face and a curly tail. The Inu Hariko is viewed as a symbol of protection, loyalty and family, it is often given as a gift to children and pregnant women. So the next time you think, “What a cute looking cat!” think twice because it may not be a cat but an Inu Hariko!

If you’re looking for Inu Hariko items check out our web store, we have a variety of Inu Hariko items ranging from mugs, tea container and cosmetic bags. If you want more of a realistic dog check out our adorable shiba inu socks or shiba inu shoyu dishes. (And if you’re a Cat person we do offer a wide variety of Maneki Neko products!)