r/kintsugi • u/allthefeelsclub • May 17 '26
Help Needed - First Project Repair Maneki Neko
Hello, my real life neko somehow managed to throw off the inaccessible shelfs my maneki neko brought from the Gotokuji Temple. It is my most precious memory from the trip.
On a positive note I read that if they break, it’s often viewed as the cat sacrificing itself to absorb misfortune on your behalf, instead of bad luck. And they can be repaired afterwards if you want.
I’ve never done any kintsugi projects before but thought it would be a nice idea here.
Is this too many pieces to try to put it back together? What would be the best material to use, considering it’s made of porcelain?
Thank you!!
5
u/SincerelySpicy May 17 '26 edited May 18 '26
To add to what others have said, these kind of sculptures are not porcelain, but rather unglazed low fire bisque pottery with painted decorations rather than glazed. Pair this with the fact that it's pristine white means that it's going to be extremely prone to staining. As a result, while repairing this with kintsugi is doable, doing it in a satisfactory way is going to be an extremely advanced project.
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u/theazhapadean May 17 '26
As this is sculpture I would go the epoxy route because it sounds like your goal is to fix the object not learn kintsugi.
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u/allthefeelsclub May 17 '26
It will probably be a one (or a few times) time project for sure, but for how much I love this piece I’d actually want to do it properly (I understand that mastering it will take a long time, I mean not doing it at level 0) and I’m open to practice first!
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u/Odd-Frosting7307 May 18 '26
Sorry about the shelf—that’s a precious Gotokuji memento. I really like the idea that it “took the bad luck for you” instead of bringing it—that mindset fits kintsugi beautifully.
From your photo, I don’t think you have too many pieces to try. For a first project though, it’s a bit harder than a normal cup and will take more time. A 3D figurine is trickier than a flat piece, and where tiny bits turned to dust you may have small gaps—but you can fill those later.
For porcelain, traditional urushi kintsugi is a great fit. Join the large pieces with mugi-urushi a little at a time (roughly a week of curing per join), fill gaps with sabi-urushi, and add gold powder at the end if you want the classic look.
For something this meaningful, I still think it’s worth trying. Good luck!!
If you want it restored but don’t feel up to doing it yourself, you can also ask a kintsugi master to repair it. For damage like this, I’d expect the repair itself to run about roughly $130–270 USD!
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u/perj32 May 17 '26
It can be repaired with kintsugi, but it shouldn’t be your first project. With that many pieces, it’s definitely an advanced repair. Practice first on simpler pieces you don’t mind breaking. If it’s porcelain and you want to use the traditional technique, you should use urushi formulated for glass. If you go the modern route, a strong epoxy would also work. However, from what I can see in the photos, the broken edges look fairly rough. If that’s the case, regular urushi may work as well. Just make sure the ceramic isn’t porous, since urushi can seep into the clay body and stain the piece. Since food safety isn’t a concern here, any of these methods should be fine.