Jewellery shop makes golden horse for Japanese heir

A rocking horse made of 24-carat gold has been designed and made to commemorate the birth of Prince Hisahito, who is directly in line to inherit the Japanese emperorship.

The immensely valuable children's toy will be on display at the Ginza Tanaka jewellery shop in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. It weighs 30 kilograms, measures 75cm x 38cm x 45cm and carries a price tag of around 150 million yen (£678,000).

Ginza Tanaka has imaginatively christened the golden horse "Pony" and it will do the rounds at the company's four retail outlets across Japan before being sold.

Prince Hishahito is the son of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko and was born on September 6th. The jewellers, which manufactures and sells items aimed at babies and young children, such as spoons and confectionery boxes, announced its intended creation when news of the Princess' pregnancy emerged.

Despite being a one-off creation, the company has said it would be prepared to create more if demand exists and confirmed it had had "inquiries".