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The underside is inscribed 笹野一刀彫 — “Sasano Ittobori.” This distinctive regional folk craft uses a specialized knife called a sarukiri to cut the figure and produce its remarkably thin, curled feathers.
This compact rooster displays the hallmark Sasano technique beautifully: layered shaving-like wings, an elaborate curled tail, boldly faceted body, and a large vermilion comb. Hand-painted details in red, black, white, pink, yellow, silver, and gold give the bird a lively, expressive presence.
The rooster is traditionally associated with early rising, diligence, physical vigor, and good fortune. Sasano’s carved rooster was sufficiently iconic to appear on a Japanese New Year postage stamp in 1969.
- Measures approximately 3 5/8 inches high
- Hand-carved and hand-painted wood
- Signed/identified 笹野一刀彫
- Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture
- Japanese folk craft or mingei
- Vintage Shōwa-period example
A particularly appealing miniature for collectors of Japanese folk toys, regional woodcarving, mingei, zodiac animals, and Sasano otaka-poppo carvings.
