Photo/Illutration Mizue Moriuchi’s “Silk Neko” cushions, front, are on display at the “Lovely Cats” exhibition at the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts in Kanazawa's Kenrokumachi district. (Ai Asanuma)

KANAZAWA--Cats have taken over a museum here, nosing their way into an assortment of pillows, cups and figurines.

The "Lovely Cats" exhibition at Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts gathers together 279 craftworks themed on cats.

Among them are works of Kutani porcelain and items made using Kaga-style "yuzen" kimono-dyeing techniques, among others.

Large, silk-covered cushions, each with a cat poking its head out of flowers in bloom, are adorned with sleek fabric. The eyes in deep green, purple and navy blue are particularly impressive.

The cushions are "Silk Neko," created by Mizue Moriuchi, a Kaga-yuzen artist. She incorporated the idea of animal-assisted therapy after learning about the form of treatment involving animals to heal people. She used cats in her neighborhood as motifs for the pillows.

"There's no substitute for real cats, but I hope it helps people who want to have a cat but can't for some reason," the artist said.

Moriuchi is attracted to cats for their "irresistible, cool-looking eyes." However, she added, "I feel somewhat hesitant about having them inside my home," having heard from fellow artists that their work tools are marked up by their pets.

In other words, the cushions were created based on the relationship the artist has with cats--not too close, but not too distant.

Among other works on display is "Neko Karakoro Glass" by Kutani ware artist Sanae Higashi, a cat head-shaped cup with a bell and fish-shaped ornament attached.

Maruyone, a Nomi-based manufacturer of Kutani porcelain lucky charms, exhibited its "maneki neko" (beckoning cat) featuring patterns created using the traditional "itchin" painting technique.

Photos of cats adored by the artist or that served as models for the works are on display in a corner of the venue.

"It's fun to see how these cats are featured in the works," said Mai Yumiba, a museum official in charge of planning and public relations.