Inu-bako kōgō — Dog box
香合 戌筥
A 7cm incense container in the form of an inu-bako, the paired dog boxes traditionally given to wish for safe childbirth and to watch over a child. Supplied in a paulownia box.
| Reference | Kōgō no. 11 |
|---|---|
| Category | Kōgō Incense Containers |
| Size | 7cm |
| Included | With paulownia box |
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About this piece
Dogs give birth easily and to large litters, so they have long been a charm for a safe delivery. The custom of obi-iwai, wrapping a sash around the belly on a Day of the Dog in the fifth month of pregnancy to pray for an easy birth, comes from the same belief.
Hakata doll maker Toshiya Honda's Inu-bako renders the traditional dog box as an incense container, a fitting accompaniment to congratulations on a pregnancy or birth.
