Namazu is the great catfish which causes earthquakes when he thrashes beneath the pillars of the earth. But he also brings opportunity in the aftermath of disaster. Our pin includes the kaname-ishi, the stone that pins Namazu in place to prevent devastating quakes, at the top of the carousel pole.

One common trait of the Coney Island style of carving is a raised head, as opposed to animals looking forward or downward. Charles Looff, in particular, created many animals gazing skyward. Our namazu follows this tradition and that of the carousel hippocampus, often depicted with the tail curling under its body.

Did you know? A hippocampus is a mythological creature with the front half of a horse and the back half of a fish, a bit like a mermaid horse.