Parent - Height: Approximately 3.2mm - Width: Approximately 1.8cm - Depth: Approximately 3.7cm Child - Height: Approximately 2.3cm - Width: Approximately 1.3cm - Depth: Approximately 2.3cm Can also be used as a netsuke. This is the "Denden Inu Hariko," a local toy popular since the Edo period. Dogs are considered to have easy labor, so they are amulets for safe childbirth and symbolize the healthy growth of children. Riding on its back is a "denden daiko" (a rattle drum) used to soothe young children. The string connecting the drum and the body uses hemp, which is said to grow quickly, and is filled with the wish "May you grow up strong." There is a custom of hanging it on a baby's haori (a traditional Japanese jacket) during the Hatsumiyamairi (first shrine visit) to pray for the baby's healthy growth. 20260210-11