Fishcake Hawaii is welcoming an auspicious New Year with its Annual Maneki Neko Art Show & Gallery held December 11- January 31. Curated by Ridge Hirano (@ridge.hirano), the annual show boasts amazing and talented young local artists. All pieces presented in the Art Show feature our favorite feline friends.
As this is the first show Hirano has curated, there was a certain excitement in the air at the Gallery Reception on December 11th. Those wonderful vibes are sure to carry through the rest of the show until the end of January.
The artists have spent a great deal of time and energy producing the pieces on display at Fishcake Hawaii, and lucky for us we can take some of these works home. Most of the pieces are for sale, and by checking out the various artists’ Instagrams, you can dive deeper into their world art.
The Maneki Neko Art Show included a strong group of young artists that are certainly going to be on our minds for years to come. Here are just a few blurbs about the artists that made this Exhibit so awesome. Please check out their Instagram and support our local artists!
Allison Arakawa (@arakawasceramicallie) presents an Okinawan take on the Maneki Neko, with her “Pair Maneki Shisas” unglazed ceramic pieces. The ferocious duo can, and will protect any household from harm.
Aniki (@anikiignacio) With the television/VCR combination disguised as a Maneki Neko, various VHS cassette tapes are stacked up, beckoning you to have a watch. All the selections are from the 80’s or 90’s, of course!
Brady Evans (@daawago) Presenting in different mediums, the first being graphite on paper “ “Kasumineko I” & “Kasumineko II,” plays with light and shadow, while Brady draws inspiration from old ps1 and ps2 Era graphics and their eerie atmosphere.
Christine Deng (@yukiumi.love) “Harvest of the Heart Philippines Market, Vietnam Rice Field” is a dream in oil pastel, color pencils and crayon. Expressive colors and playful composition take us to another world.
Daimaru Design (@daimaru.design) “Lucky Catch” in watercolor, gouache, offers a look into the cheeky life of this Maneki Neko. Blazing into the New Year on the back of a koi fish.
Erika Pascual (@modernenchantment) Mixed media on Cold Press “Don’t Worry” uses amazing attention to detail in the kitty’s fur and where each reed in the tatami mat is a different hue of blue.
Grapehoney (@_grapehoney) “Anatomy of Good Health and Fortune”…a little morbid, a little whimsical. This watercolor/color pencil piece balances the two attitudes, just right!
Kyla Aiko (@kyla.aiko) “Midori” digital piece offers clean shapes with the somewhat muted palette of green. The expression on the face of the Maneki Neko is engaging, nonetheless.
Leanartbean (@leanartbean) Lean Bean is a digital illustrator, drawing inspiration from her childhood favorites like Power Rangers and Gurren Lagann. Some of her pieces at Fishcake Hawaii are “Calico” and “Rainbow.”
Mitchell Fong (@umamiplant) A cute nod to the ‘90s and early ‘00s, Mitchell takes some old Razr v3 phones and creates a sort of time capsule featuring cute kitties in his flip phone art called “MEOWTOROLA.”
Mizuwariko (@mizuwariko) “Tides of Fortune” is a fun, vivid, almost psychedelic take on the theme. With every square inch telling a different story of a kitty’s journey to fortune.
Shoujo K (@shoujok_art) “Maneki Idol: Tippy” and “Maneki Idol: Zeni” shine in this digital clip 1dio paint with a promising storyline! We are looking forward to their adventures!
Spaceagecats (@spaceagecats) Beautiful billowy shapes in “Dancing Neko” are sure to make you feel lucky!
Unfiltered.Ooze (@unfiltered.ooze) Megumi Harada mixed media Fiber Art incorporates various trinkets to add fun texture to her cuddly kitties.
Kylie Tamaki (@yoshinou_) Reminiscing about bon dance and festival season, Kylie uses digital art, gold leaf, Washi tape and watercolor to paint the excitement into our lives.
We look forward to an amazing 2026! What better way to spend the first moments of the New Year than at Fishcake Hawaii! Please check out @fishcakehawaii on Instagram for the most current holiday schedule and events! Visit Fishcake Hawaii at 307 Kamani St, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Ainoa Miyashiro is a local stylist and performing artist based in Honolulu. Loves to indulge in stories about inspiration, nostalgia, and connections. A middle child and therefore full-time mediator.
