fukurou

owl

Owl's bring good fortune to people through their Japanese name fukurou. If the word is divided into fu kurou it means "to prevent pain and suffering." If you modify the word into fuku kuuro it means to "bring good fortune."

Personal Communication, July 8, 2003
Steve Kohl

In early Chinese times, owls, being nocturnal, came to symbolize a being who made the night safer. Later the owl became dreaded due to its association with darkness and is sometimes considered an omen of death.

Symbols of Japan: Thematic Motifs in Art and Design
Merrily Baird