Earthenware Bell Oni Amulet Small - Red

These oni are crafted in Kashiba City, Nara Prefecture at the Good Job! Center Kashiba which aims to create jobs in a range of industries for people with disabilities.

In Japanese folklore and mythology oni are supernatural beings, often seen as evil. With red skin, large stature and a fearful appearance, they are comparable to demons or ogres.

But there are legends of oni actually warding off evil villains and hardship in certain parts of Nara Prefecture. These local tales have influenced traditions in the area, with oni being invited into the household along with good luck at setsubun, the festival that marks the beginning of spring in the Japanese lunar calendar. This contrasts to attitudes elsewhere during this festival that often aim to avoid both oni along and bad luck in general, and instead to call good luck in.

Oni are also seen as symbols of people’s worst instincts and desires, and these amulets represent a range of desires in the hope they can be conquered. This red oni amulet symbolizes greed.

Individual items will differ from one another slightly, due to their handmade nature.

Size: L6.5 cm x W5.5 cm x H7.5 cm

Kansai

The Kansai region includes the second-most populated metropolitan area in Japan with its largest city Osaka. Kyoto and Nara, two of Japan’s former capital cities, are home to important temples and shrines and strongholds of intangible cultural heritage, such as the Kyoto textile weaving skills of Nishijin.