Amy Katoh 
Otafuku 
Joy of Japan

With dozens of color photographs and fun, informative text, this guide to Japanese otafuku is a delight for collectors or Japanese culture enthusiasts.


Anywhere you go in Japan you are likely to encounter the plump, smiling image of Otafuku. Author Amy Sylvester Katoh traces the roots and folk beginnings of this mythic figure, showing Otafuku’s many delightful identities, and providing a magical glimpse into this charming character who has become a national icon.


With a mixture of poems, photographs, anecdotes, and stories, she presents a veritable treasure chest of surprises that is sure to enchant readers.

About the author

Amy Sylvester Katoh resides in Japan and is the author of the bestselling Tuttle books
Japan: The Art of Living,
Blue and White Japan, and
Japan Country Living.