益子の共販センターにある大きなタヌキ、皆さんご存知ですか?
名前は 「ポンタ」 と言い、益子紹介にはいつも登場します。
Have you heard of the big racooon statute sitting next to Kyohan Center in Mashiko?
The name is "Ponta", and it always comes up when talking about Mashiko.
名前は 「ポンタ」 と言い、益子紹介にはいつも登場します。
Have you heard of the big racooon statute sitting next to Kyohan Center in Mashiko?
The name is "Ponta", and it always comes up when talking about Mashiko.
何故、タヌキなのかというと、「 他を抜く 」 と言う縁起担ぎで、30年ほど前に制作されました。以来、共販センターのキャラクターになっており、ポンタ饅頭やかぶり物もあります。
Why a raccoon you ask? A raccoon is called "Tanuki" in Japanese, and it's a play on words that means "exceeds others". ("Ta" = Others; Nuki = Exceed). They built this statute 30 years ago in hopes for prosperity, and it has become the mascot of Mashiko-Cho.
実はこのポンタ、グラスファイバー製なんだそうです。手のひらに載っている湯呑だけが益子焼なんです、とは大塚さんの弁。因みに、傍にいる二匹のタヌキは信楽焼なんだとか。
"Ponta is made out of fiberglass except the Japanese tea cup on its hand, which is actually Mashiko pottery" says Otsuka-san. On a side note, the two smaller raccoon ornaments are Shigaraki pottery, which is a famous type of pottery that is practiced in Shiga pref.
Why a raccoon you ask? A raccoon is called "Tanuki" in Japanese, and it's a play on words that means "exceeds others". ("Ta" = Others; Nuki = Exceed). They built this statute 30 years ago in hopes for prosperity, and it has become the mascot of Mashiko-Cho.
実はこのポンタ、グラスファイバー製なんだそうです。手のひらに載っている湯呑だけが益子焼なんです、とは大塚さんの弁。因みに、傍にいる二匹のタヌキは信楽焼なんだとか。
"Ponta is made out of fiberglass except the Japanese tea cup on its hand, which is actually Mashiko pottery" says Otsuka-san. On a side note, the two smaller raccoon ornaments are Shigaraki pottery, which is a famous type of pottery that is practiced in Shiga pref.