Vintage Japanese Ainu Bear Kuma w/ Salmon Signed & Dated 1972 Sugi Wood ~13" Carving Sugi wood - Japanese cedar

Sugi wood - Japanese cedar - frame

A small area of age-appropriate surface wear and a minor split at one joint

and the quality of a cage — its wood

polished surfaces of the shell and slate stones offer a satisfying tactile experience as you place them on the board

Vintage Japanese Ainu Bear Kuma w/ Salmon Signed & Dated 1972 Sugi Wood ~13" Carving Sugi wood - Japanese cedarA finely hand carved wooden bear clutching a salmon in its jaws, a classic motif rooted in the traditions of the Ainu people of northern Japan. These sculpted bearsknown collectively as Horiguma ()represent one of the most recognizable and beloved forms of Hokkaid folk art, merging spiritual reverence with regional craftsmanship. In Ainu cosmology, the bear (kimun kamuy, mountain god) was regarded as one of the most powerful deities, descending from