No visitor to Osaka is safe from the image of Billiken-san, the “god of things as they ought to be,” which has long been a beloved mascot of the city. Though seemingly part of the pantheon of Japanese good-luck deities, Billiken-san originates in Kansas City, Missouri, created by illustrator Florence Pretz. More or less a product of capitalism, the original Billiken was a charm doll believed to bring luck to the purchaser, a huge success if not a long-lasting one. Today, it is largely forgotten in the States, perhaps except…
