Okimono bronze sculpture of a toad.

The toad or the frog (kaeru) is associated with good luck and wealth. Kaeru means both “toad” or “frog” and “to return home” in Japanese. This meaning is due to the toad’s ability to return each year to the pond of its birth. A gong in the shape of a toad can sometimes be used as a door hammer or to protect house.

Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)

Width: 4.3 in (11.5 cm) – depth : 4.7 in (12.5 cm) – height: 2.4 in (6.8 cm)