Paws for thought

The Yomiuri Shimbun

November 12, 2021

Tiger ornaments line the shelves of a daruma doll shop in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The shop aims to make 3,000 ahead of the new year — 2022 is the year of the tiger in the Chinese zodiac. Made of paper and clay, the 11 centimeter-tall tigers are modeled after maneki-neko cat ornaments, which are believed to bring luck. “I’m making them with great care in the hope that they help bring an end to the pandemic,” the owner of the shop said.