Amber color high
hand polished tactile netsuke of Hotei, an image of corpulent abundance, for he
is the god of happiness and unrestricted fulfillment of earthly wishes. The Happy
Buddha wanders the countryside dispensing gifts and riches and caring for children.
The face of Hotei wears an affable smile; he has a bald pate and laughing eyes.
Enormous royal earlobes rest on his shoulders as he leans back on his great stitched
sack, one that never empties, for he uses it to feed the poor and needy. Indeed,
the Japanese spelling of "Ho Tei" literally means "cloth bag." His flat fan is
called an oogi, or "wish giving" fan signifying the auspicious meaning of union
and happiness.
