Due to its odd shape, we guess, this fairly common Benihana Tiki Mug is usually called the Canoe Boy mug, but it is also known as the Rural Girl mug, too, and, in either case, it seems to depict a child wearing a woven bamboo head covering, perhaps a rain hat of some sort?
We think it's most likely that this mug is simply meant to celebrate"Children's Day," May 5th, which is a national holiday in Japan, a day on which families nationwide celebrate the happiness and healthy growth of children. On Children's Day, children often wave colorful streamers, called "koinobori," which are shaped like a carp fish, which is a symbol of strength and success in Japanese culture.
There's also an alternate version that depicts the same child, but holding a dolly and a lolly — pop, plus, there's yet another version that has the child holding a paper lantern, with a little brother or sister tucked under their arm, and some of those have a pale pink, yellow, blue or green glaze covering them, and are made by the legendaryMcCoy Pottery company!
We think it's most likely that this mug is simply meant to celebrate
There's also an alternate version that depicts the same child, but holding a dolly and a lolly — pop, plus, there's yet another version that has the child holding a paper lantern, with a little brother or sister tucked under their arm, and some of those have a pale pink, yellow, blue or green glaze covering them, and are made by the legendary
