Japanese Dolls

Japanese Dolls are renowned in the world and are an integral aspect of the culture of Japan. The Japanese traditional dolls are known as 'ningyo', which means 'human figure'. Different types of dolls are available in Japan ranging from warriors and heroes, fairy-tale characters, gods and (rarely) demons and commoners. These dolls are made for gift purpose, for household shrines and to be used during festivals like Hina Matsuri. The dolls are also popular souvenirs of Japan, which are frequently bought by the tourists visiting the country.

The tradition of dolls in Japan goes back to the ancient past, when the young girls played with dolls and dollhouses. Women of Japan used to make dolls to protect their children or grandchildren and dolls were also used in religious ceremonies. The historians consider the temple sculptors as the first professional doll makers, who used to make painted wooden images of children. During the Edo era that lasted from 1603 to 1867, doll became popular with the rich people and they bought costly sets of dolls for the embellishment of their house. The trade of selling flourished during this period and government imposed strict laws on this trade.

Different kinds of dolls are available in Japan. Karakuri dolls feature large figures and Gosho dolls boast of fat, cute babies in a simplified form. Hina dolls boast of pyramidal body that comprises of many-layered textiles stuffed with straw and wood blocks. Musha are warrior dolls made of materials same as the Hina Dolls. The Musha dolls feature figures of men seated on camp chairs, standing, or riding horses and weapons are made of lacquered paper. Ichimatsu dolls boast of young boys and girls with flesh colored skin and glass eyes. The doll is named after an 18th-century Kabuki actor. Kimekomi dolls are made from carved or molded base of wood, wood compo, or plastic foam in case of modern dolls and various types of patterned cloth scraps. Kokeshi dolls are 150 years old and are mainly made in Northern Honsh? of Japan. These dolls have no arms or legs, but boast of large heads and cylindrical bodies, and represent little girls. Daruma dolls are spherical dolls featuring red bodies and white faces, which are devoid of pupils. It is believed that Daruma brings good fortune and fortitude. Anesama ningyo and shiori ningyo are dolls that are made of washi paper. Anesama ningyo are three-dimensional dolls whereas shiori ningyo are flat.

In the present day Japan, one of the popular dolls is the ball-jointed dolls (BJDs), which are fashionable and sleek and the popularity of these dolls has also spread to US and other countries.

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