Uchide-no-kozuchi - [Takaramono | Charm]

Uchide-no-kozuchi - [Charm | Takaramono ] - 打ち出の小槌. - 

• About: A Legendary mallet said to bring vast fortune to those that wield it; This magical mallet can be used to 'bash out' fortune, spawn an infinite amount of gold & other riches out of thin air! with just a single tap! (Just as often its said to grant whatever the owner wishes for!!) - The very image of the mallet itself is also said to be lucky, so you'll often see it on engimono (lucky charms) & anything to do with good luck & fortune!

Most famously; the Lucky mallet appears in artwork which features the Seven lucky gods (Shichifukujin.) it is most often seen wielded by Daikokuten (Patron God of wealth.) - it's said to be one of the treasures (takaramono) which they bring aboard the Takarabune which the seven gods ride on come new years.

[daikoku and his mallet by Utagawa Hiroshige]

[a man dressed as daikoku uses the mallet to spawn coins over a crowd]

The sides of the mallet are often decorated with gold and other lucky symbols and kanji. - (You'll also often see it decorated with mice and rats, as they're said to be daikokus familiars!) - The front of the mallet has a peculiar marking, most often appearing similar to a wishing fulfilling jewels (often called 宝珠 Hojo.) - (You'll often see Hojo in Buddhist-Shinto artwork & sculptures depicting Kami & Kitsune (especially Tenkos "Hoshi-no-tama"), Dragons (Especially Ryujin's Tide jewels) and even occasionally Kappa! (Especially (and quite humorously) the "Butt Ball" (Shirikodama, which is apparently given by kappa to ) most often you'll see it in odd places such as on a kimono or tattooed on someones arm, its an emblem of good fortune after-all

in folktales; especially those from the Otogi-Zoshi the mallet often features as a treasure and a convenient way to finish up the story; Both Momotaro & Isshun-boshi are rewarded it as 'loot' for their own victories and its used to wrap up the plot (in isshuns case it makes him grow & in momo's case hes able to use it to bring in enough treasure to support his elderly parents. (Though endings will vary.) The Oni of Onigashima (Oni island) often seem to often get their hands on it. - (But they never seem to use it; maybe they dont know how it works? or maybe they just cant use it?)

[Uchide no kozuchi featured on a Netsuke shaped like a bag along side a Hojo! - [image source: met museum]

[Art by Samkalensky part of my engimono lucky charms sticker collection! follow & support for many more! (NOTE: daikoku mask sticker is an optional add on.)