Edo Cat Glass Wind Chime

At a glance

• Thin hand-blown glass and a textured crystal clapper create a clear, complex chime
• Dancing cats adapted from 

The cats dancing around this wind chime have been making people smile for much longer than the chime itself.

Adapted from the work of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, one of the best-known ukiyo-e artists of the late Edo period, the scene shows mischievous cats dancing in human-like poses. Kuniyoshi was famously fond of cats, and his humorous cat imagery remains among his most recognisable work.

The sound has been given just as much attention. The body is blown thin by hand, while the crystal-glass clapper inside has a finely textured surface. When it strikes the glass, those small irregularities help create a clear but more complex chime than a smooth clapper would produce.

As the wind chime turns, gold firework details catch the light around the dancing cats, while the illustrated hanging strip continues the playful scene below. It works as a small art object even when the air is still, rather than relying on sound alone for its character.

At just 6.4cm across, it is easy to hang near a window or sheltered doorway, and the presentation box also makes it a considered gift for someone who enjoys cats, Japanese art or objects with an unusual story behind them.

Made in Japan by Aderia / Ishizuka Glass.

bring Edo-period humour into the design
• Gold firework details shimmer as the chime moves, adding visual interest between each note

The cats dancing around this wind chime have been making people smile for much longer than the chime itself.

Adapted from the work of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, one of the best-known ukiyo-e artists of the late Edo period, the scene shows mischievous cats dancing in human-like poses. Kuniyoshi was famously fond of cats, and his humorous cat imagery remains among his most recognisable work.

The sound has been given just as much attention. The body is blown thin by hand, while the crystal-glass clapper inside has a finely textured surface. When it strikes the glass, those small irregularities help create a clear but more complex chime than a smooth clapper would produce.

As the wind chime turns, gold firework details catch the light around the dancing cats, while the illustrated hanging strip continues the playful scene below. It works as a small art object even when the air is still, rather than relying on sound alone for its character.

At just 6.4cm across, it is easy to hang near a window or sheltered doorway, and the presentation box also makes it a considered gift for someone who enjoys cats, Japanese art or objects with an unusual story behind them.

Made in Japan by Aderia / Ishizuka Glass.