A traditional style rat guarding a holy houju. Houju are sacred jewels in Japanese Buddhism that are symbols of purification and often guarded by folklore creatures and animals in Japanese culture and seen in many shrines throughout Japan.
We created two designs of a rat with houju. This one is our more kawaii design featuring an original mouse character Taka created named Chusuke. Chuu is the sound mice/rats make and -suke is a common name ending for males in Japan. Our cute little rat, Chusuke is so tiny and lightweight that he can be lifted by a single balloon. He has light grey fur that he looks a little like a dango when he is resting in a ball shape. He lives in a traditional jinja (Japanese shrine) which has a common motif of the uchideno kozuchi (lucky hammer). It has become his favorite imagery as he always sees people buy omamori of the lucky hammer. He has gone so far as to carve a little home inside of a lucky hammer that is safely tucked away in the honden (main prayer room in the jinja).
About the Collection
This was the first design for 2023’s Moujuu Pin Club theme centered around animals. Each month we include a new animal pin(s), sticker sheet, and little info card/trading card that either introduces a new original animal character or historical significance within Japanese lore.
Details
Size: 1.23”
Material: Gold-Plated Hard Enamel
Backing: 2 Rubber Clutches
Quality: Standards • B-Grades
Learn more about pin grading here.
Extra Features: Shishido Creative Backstamp, Screenprinting, Unique Backing Card
Shipping
Estimated Delivery: We ship from Seattle, WA via USPS First Class. It takes about 2-3 days for domestic orders. For international orders, it takes about 1-6 weeks depending on location. Learn more about shipping here. We now have the option to add insurance here!