Kasugabe Dolls

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Dolls from Kasukabe (Kasukabe hariko)
　春日部張子 ?Kusagabe
Saitama prefecture



Fudo Myoo Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O

. My Kasukabe Doll Collection .

Until Kintaro　金太郎

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source :　www.kongohin.or.jp
Fudo from Igarashi san　五十嵐さん


. Mask of Fudo Myo-O / Kasugabe, Igarashi san 　



A traditional way to make dolls, passed down in the family of Igarashi san.
五十嵐健二


. Fudo Myo-O 不動明王 Acala Vidyârâja - Introduction.


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Laughing Daruma Mask
(and more masks, click on the photo)

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There is also Momotaroo, Kintaroo and many others.
桃太郎、金太郎などもあります。


Momotaro masks with the three animals.



Kintaro, the Strong Boy


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Kasukabe 春日部
is a small town in Saitama prefecture. It is famous for its folk craft, especially for traditional chests of Paulownia wood and toys for the New Year (hagoita 羽子板). The papermachee dolls are another speciality of this town.

Kasukabe Daruma is made in the tradition of the Musashino (Bushu 武州) papermachee dolls. In this area it is easy to get traditional Japanese paper and under the influence of Takasaki the production of Daruma goes back to the Meiji Restauration (1868). Many producers of Daruma have found their own style and expression for a Daruma face, but it takes an expert to recognize all these differences. Eyebrows and beard are not so strongly painted as in the Takasaki Daruma dolls and the Chinese characters FUKU IRI for bringing in Good Luck 福入 are painted on the belly.


. . . CLICK here for Photos of Kasukabe Dolls!


. Folk Toys from Saitama .

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Igarashi Kenji 　五十嵐健二



Igarashi san is in the second generation producing toys of papermachee (hariko) who works in the tradition of Goseki Hariko 五関の張子 and his repertoire contains more than 100 different types of dolls. He produces many humorous Darumas of different features (henkei Daruma 変形だるま) taking hints from historical figures, like Momotaro, Kintaro and Urashima Taro.
There are also composite figures of Daruma on a wild boar, Daruma holding Fukusuke, Daikoku or Okame, Daruma as a Goblin and many others.




Daruma on a namazu catfish fish
ナマズの上に達磨

. Namazu なまず / 鯰 catfish legends and toys .

. Urashima Taro 浦島太郎 .

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Dice with MONEY and a Futokoro Daruma
ふところだるま
to put in your purse for good luck


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Beckoning Cat and Kintaro

source : 春日部張子 Kasugabe Hariko


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Daruma on a wild boar
Year of the Wild Boar
Kasugabe Hariko 春日部張子




Inoshishi　猪 Wild Boar Papermachee Dolls

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Watoonai 和唐内 / 和藤内 Watonai

Watonai is a figure of the Chinese legend of early Ming dynasty.
This young boy is famous for his physical strenth, even subduing wild beasts. Usually he is depicted with a tiger. He becme famous in Japan since Chikamatsu Monzaemon wrote a Puppet Theater Play (bunraku) about him.
. . . CLICK here for Bunraku Photos !

鄭成功(ていせいこう) Teisei Koo ［1624～1662］
The model for Watonai.

. Watonai (Koxinga) 和唐内 / 和藤内 and Tiger Toys .


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. Kasukabe Oshi-e Hagoita 羽子板 　


. The Momotaro Legend 桃太郎 Peach Boy 　

. The Kintaro Legend 金太郎 The Strong Boy Kintaro 　

. Folk Toys with Fish .

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- #kasugabe #watonai -
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Himeji Daruma

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. Folk Toys from HYOGO - Kobe, Himeji .
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Papermachee Dolls from Himeji 姫路張子



Himeji Hariko Papermachee dolls, which are made by putting together multiple layers of Japanese washi paper, have been introduced from China in the Muromachi period. This strong paper is called henkogami 反故紙.
Especially during the Edo period, the making of papermachee dolls and toys prospered in the castle towns throughout Japan where an abundance of extra washi could be found.

It is said that in Himeji this handicraft originated with Toyo'oka Tadashichi. 豊岡直七
He learned the craft in Osaka and brought it back to Himeji, but he produced mainly masks and no Daruma, since they did not sell well.
During the Taisho period, the funny "Daruma with a Headband" (hachimaki Daruma) from Nagoya became quite popular and so the Himeji producers started making Daruma with a headband too. Today, the fourth generation of Toyo'oka's sons-in-law still retain this traditional art.

The families of Matsuo Takashi and Matsuo Masatoshi are the main producers nowadays, making mostly masks, papermachee dolls and some Daruma.
Takashi Matsuo (Main Family 本家) TEL: 0792-32-7762
Masatoshi Matsuo (Branch Family 分家) TEL; 0792-92-7509


The papermachee dolls from Himeji 姫路の張子　
are different from others, since they are made from some long-used models made of the same clay as　rooftiles, so they are pretty strong and do not wear off as wooden　blocks (kigata 木型) do in the course of time. Motives for the masks are　long-nosed goblins (tengu 天狗), water goblins (kappa 河童), demons (oni　鬼), dogs, monkeys, rabbits, legendary figures such as Momotaroo and　many others, about 50 different types altogether.

The dolls include　little tigers that wiggle their heads, heads for lion dances　(shishigashira 獅子頭), Daruma, Three Mountains or One Mountain (for the　festival at a local shrine with that name) and many others.

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source : ameblo.jp/a-late-bloomer

Echigojishi Daruma 越後獅子達磨 lion dance from Echigo

a papermachee doll from Himeji 姫路張子

. Echigojishi 越後獅子 lion dance from Echigo .

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Mitsuyama Hariko, Hitotsuyama Hariko 　
三つ山　一つ山張子



In many of Japan's Shinto Cults artificially constructed holymountains are revered as temporary seats of gods - vestiges, no doubt,　of pre-Buddhist times.



Left: a bamboo basket with a stone-pine crown as a holy mountain on a　litter from the Gion festival in Kyoto.
Right: cloth-veiled mountain　about 10 metres high, with a shrine on top of it, as in Himeji at theMitsuyama festival.
source :　negenter

You can see the colourful papermachee version of this "mountain",　which is sold during the annual festival. These toys have gone out of　production before the war, but are now back in vogue.


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Himeji Papermachee Masks 　姫路張子の面


Papermachee masks from Himeji


姫路市　書写の里　美術工芸館
兵庫県姫路市書写1223番地
TEL:0792-67-0301 松尾　隆工房
兵庫県神崎郡香寺町田野1042－21
TEL:0792-32-7762
FAX:0792-32-7762

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Himeji Daruma 　姫路達磨



He comes in three sizes and is rather longish. His head is small and　the eyes are painted under large eyebrows. On his red robe the folds　are painted in gold, sometimes with a pattern of Chinese flowers on　the sides. His characteristic is the wide headband with blue dots.
There is a version without a headband and no eyes painted and anotherfunny one with a little
Octopus posing as Daruma (Tako Okiagari　蛸 起き上がり) .　




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source :　www.city.himeji.lg.jp/koho/press/
. Kuroda Kanbei Yoshitaka 黒田官兵衛 孝高 .
(1546 - 1604) - and NHK 2014


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Seaweed Daruma from Daikaku-ji, Amagasaki 　
尼崎大覚寺のこんぶ達磨



Since Amagasaki is quite close to Himeji, I will introduce this Daruma here.

This is a little talisman to ward off evil and bring good business. He　is sold at the temple Daikaku-ji in Amagasaki during the Spring　Festival. Since the Meiji period every year the temple prepares a　little Daruma with a short jacket made from a bleached seaweed (konbu)　for people who apply for it. On the seaweed the name and age of the　person and his zodiac animal are written and then this is put up atthe Family Shelf of the Gods for daily prayer. The sheet of seaweed is　fastened with a belt of an auspicious braided red and white cord　(mizuhiki). This Daruma helps to ward off evil and disaster and takes　on a cold on your behalf (migawari).
He is also called "Daruma whowards off evil" (yakuyoke Daruma 厄よけだるま).
When the year is over, you　bring him back to the temple for consecration and apply for a new one.

The little Daruma is about 5 cm high and used to be made in Osaka buthe is now made in Kyoto and is usually called "Tiny Roly-Poly"　(mameagari 豆上がり). His face is painted very simply and his head has a　golden dot, therefore he is also called "Gold-headed Daruma" (kinten　Daruma 金天だるま).

His existence is also based on a play of words. "To feel happiness"　(yoro-kobu) becomes "Yoro-Konbu"; you feel happy about getting better　after illness or if your daughter finds a good match. So the seaweed　type called KONBU carries an auspicious meaning and is usually part of　a meal at the New Year and other auspicious occasions.

. WKD- konbu 昆布 (こんぶ) kombu kelp . 　　

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Himeji Toy Museum 姫路玩具博物館
671-3 Nakaniro, Kodera-cho, Himeji

The museum was founded in 1974. Thanks to its physical scale and the depth of its collection, the museum has become a model for toy museums in Japan. .
- HP : japan-toy-museum.org - English



Octopus Daruma 蛸だるま tako Daruma
Seaweed Daruma from Daikaku-ji, Amagasaki 　and more
尼崎大覚寺のこんぶ達磨　などなど - see above

JAPANESE TOY MUSEUM (Nihon Gangu Hakubutsukan) in Kodera, close to　Himeji. It features 6 storehouse-type buildings in a peaceful,　pastoral landscape, and houses local toys from all over Japan and　about 120 countries worldwide. It has a total of 70,000 items and its　visitors come from all over the world.

The owner Mr. Inoue and his family are very kind and grandmother plays　with the children at the many open toy corners within the large　compounds. Since it has an extensive website I suggest you visit there　first. It is a good place to spend a rainy day with your kids and it　is very well marked with many road signs so you cannot get lost looking for it. Even without kids it is a most interesting and fun place to learn about Japan and the world.

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Read more about Himeji Castle in my library:
Himeji Castle, by CHRIS BAMFORTH




Himeji castle is the WHITE CASTLE, the white crane castle
shirasagi joo　白鷺城.
Its walls are all plastered, so that no fire arrows from the enemy could take hold. Even the wooden window poles are covered with metal and then plaster.
The heavy wooden doors are covered with metal plates, to make them impenetrable for fire arrows.


It is a world heritage site:
Himeji-jo is the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture, comprising 83 buildings with highly developed systems of defence and ingenious protection devices dating from the beginning of the Shogun period. It is a masterpiece of construction in wood, combining function with aesthetic appeal, both in its elegant appearance unified by the white plastered earthen walls and in the subtlety of the relationships between the building masses and the multiple roof layers.
source : whc.unesco.org


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The first station is Himeji 姫路 :
. Izumo Kaido 出雲街道 The Road of Izumo

WASHOKU . Dishes from Hyogo Prefecture and Himeji

. Folk Toys from HYOGO - Kobe, Himeji .

- #himejidolls #himejiyoys -
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