Papier-mache Figurine - Tatsu

This paper-mâché dragon, a good luck talisman created in celebration of 2024, the Year of the Dragon, was produced at the Good Job! Center in Kashiba, Nara Prefecture.

The centre aims to generate employment opportunities within art, design, and business for people with disabilities. By fostering collaboration between designers, local manufacturers, and people with disabilities, the centre hopes to introduce their distinctive creative expressions to a wide audience.

This figurine represents a dragon, negaitatsu (ねがいたつ), an auspicious symbol that ascends from the sea to the sky, bringing wishes for happiness from above.

Individual pieces vary in colour and size as each piece is handmade.

W 4.8cm × H 10.5cm × D 68mm

Kyūshū and Okinawa

This is Japan’s south-west region including the island of Kyūshū and the sub-tropical island chain of Okinawa. Kyūshū was an early centre of Japanese civilization, and offers many historic treasures, modern cities and volcanic natural beauty. It is home to the ports of Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Fukuoka, the porcelain manufacturing centre in Arita and the Tanegashima Space Center launch site.