Kaeru, the frog

What it means

Kaeru means frog — and, written differently, “to return” (帰る) or “to come back” (返る). So a frog charm wishes you a safe return home, and that money you spend finds its way back.

Buji kaeru, “return safely”, is the classic gift for travellers and drivers.

Wakagaeru — “becoming young again” — makes the frog a wish for good health, too.

At the sushi counter

Frogs don’t belong at the sushi counter. You’ll find them in temple gardens, on tea bowls and dangling from phone straps.

Good to know

• Chōjū-giga, a famous 12th-century scroll, shows frogs and hares playing like humans.
• The classic Japanese clasp purse is called gamaguchi, “toad mouth” — fitting for money that should come back.
• Nyoirin-ji in Fukuoka is known as the frog temple, with thousands of frog statues.