Tanuki statue, symbol of prosperity

In Japan, the customers entering a bar or a restaurant are often greeted by a cheerful statue representing a tanuki... Tanuki is a term used both for a real-life animal (the Japanese raccoon dog) and for a mythical creature from the Japanese folklore, represented by these statues.

The mythical tanuki is a symbol of prosperity, cheerfulness and generosity, so the businesses are using it to spur the customers to spend generously, a role somehow similar to the Maneki Neko.