Konoha Monkey - Eating Rice Ball
About 1300 years ago, four men was told to build a shrine with the red clay from the Mt.Konoha in a dream on New Years Day. After they set up an alter, threw away the rest of the clay which miraculously turned into monkeys. Then Red face 3 meter giant appeared saying, 'You will have a happy life if you make monkey dolls with clay of Mt.Konoha'. They believed what the giant said to be a message from a god. They made monkey dolls and survived safely and peacefully even in disasters.
Since then, the monkey dolls have been cherished and loved as a Talisman to keep off diseases, disasters and to pray for fertility and family prosperity.
At present Konoha-monkey is only made by Nagata Family in Kumamoto, Japan.
Mr Nagata is the seventh generation making Konoha-monkey.
Made in Japan
Material - Clay (twisting clay with fingertips without using a mould)
6x4x3cm