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DOLLS

TRADITION ARTS AND CRAFTS Doll's Festival Boy's Festival Bunraku

Dolls have been manufactured since the very early days of Japanese culture. Today, there are various types of Japanese dolls. The following is a description of only a few of the most famous traditional dolls: Kokeshi dolls are very simply shaped wooden dolls from Northern Honshu (Tohoku region). In the Tokugawa era kokeshi dolls were souvenirs given to the tourists of hot spring resorts in the Tohoku. Most dolls have neither arms nor legs, but a large head and a cylindrical body. The dolls represent little girls. Hakata dolls are clay dolls manufactured in Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu. They are worked out very detailed and painted beautifully. Festival dolls: Hina dolls are displayed on the girl's festival (also doll's festival) whereas Samurai dolls are displayed in a Japanese house during the boy's festival. They symbolize strength. Bunraku is a traditional Japanese puppet theater. Please visit the special Bunraku information page. Daruma doll A Daruma is a spherical doll with a red painted body, a white face, but without pupils. Daruma dolls represent Bodhidharma, a Zen monk who was meditating for such a long time that his legs were of no use anymore. Most daruma dolls are manufactured by hand in Takasaki (Gunma prefecture). Throughout the year, but typically on New Year's day, a person should make a wish and paint one black pupil onto the face of a daruma doll. If the wish comes true, the person then paints on the other pupil and disposes the doll on the following New Year's day.

DOLLS Japanese dolls (Judy Shoaf) Lots of information on all kinds of Japanese dolls. Kyo-Ningyo (Kyoto Prefectural Federation of Small Business Associations) About dolls from Kyoto. Kokeshi Dolls (Japanesque) General information on kokeshi dolls. The Kokeshi Dolls of Tsuchiyu (Tsuchiyu-Onsen) About the Kokeshi dolls from the hot spring resort Tsuchiyu. Nisei-hara-beishu (Japan Network) Dolls from Nisei-hara-beishu. The Karakuri Puppets (Central Japan Network) About Karakuri Puppets. Daruma Fair (The University of Electro-Communications) General information on Daruma dolls. All about Hina dolls (Kyoto National Museum) General information on hina dolls and the doll's festival. Hakata dolls (Fukuoka city) General information on Hakata dolls. The Karakuri Puppets (Central Japan Network) About Karakuri Puppets. All about Hina dolls (Kyoto National Museum) General information on hina dolls and the doll's festival. Hakata dolls (Fukuoka city) General information on Hakata dolls.

November 11, 1997 In Deutsch

all copyrights by Schauwecker's Guide to Japan