Frogs, as they prefer wetlands, are particularly associated with the people in Japan where there is plenty of rainfall, paddy fields and rivers. The word frog in Japanese is 'kaeru', which also means to return and to come back. So they are popular as creatures of good fortune such as: "returning safely", "returning money", "returning good fortune".
The paper mache frog is prayed at Manzoku Inari Shrine in Higashiyama, Kyoto. Hariko is a traditional Japanese toy made of Japanese paper. It has a fortune paper inside and can be used as a decoration after the fortune paper has been taken out and read. The fortune paper is written in Japanese.
Please note that each item is handmade and may vary in size and shape.
