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Shigaraki, located in the mountains east of Kyoto in Shiga Prefecture, began making stoneware in the thirteenth century. The area enjoys a long tradition of making ceramic tanuki, mischievous raccoon-faced dogs, which also serve as good luck symbols. Although known for their tanuki, Shigaraki also craft a variation of maneki neko with a face more similar to a fox or dog. The maneki neko produced in Shigaraki typically have a rough texture and a dark, monochromatic coloring. The cat's whiskers and fur are incised into the clay. One of its hands is upright, while the other is drawn out as if expecting to receive something. This exhibition was made possible by a generous loan from Mingei International Museum. "Maneki Neko: Japanese Beckoning Cat" is on display post-security, in Terminal 2. http://bit.ly/BeckoningCats This image was posted on April 28, 2018.