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Anyone can enjoy learning to make dolls. We are always looking for students.
This is a kit of materials that you can make by yourself.
Search by Prefecture
Store ListAnyone can enjoy learning to make dolls. We are always looking for students.
This is a kit of materials that you can make by yourself.
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It is said that “Rome was not built in a day.”
The same is true for Hina Dolls and Gogatsu Dolls.
Festival Dolls have a history of more than a thousand years.
Over the years, the figures of today were formed
by the trial and error of pioneering doll makers and doll dealers.
So, let’s understand the history and tradition of dolls
from the point of view of “Edo and Dolls,” “History of Hina Doll Stores,”
“Transition of Hina Dolls,” and “Japanese Festivals.”
“Hina Doll” is written as “Hihina” or “Hiina” in old documents. “Hihina” or “Hiina” can be found in the documents in the middle of the Heian period, about one thousand years ago. The phrase “Hiina doll play,” found in the Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon, is thought to refer to “playing house,” i.e. playing with dolls made simply out of paper or cloth and imitating instruments familiar to the people of those days. Therefore, these dolls can be said to be the original Hina Dolls.
There are various documents about “Hiina doll play” and many different opinions about it; therefore, it is difficult to conclude that play started in the middle of the Heian period. However, it is clear that “Hiina doll play” already existed in the middle of the Heian period and centered on a couple of male and female “Hiina” at the Imperial Court.
Amagatsu Doll
The Amagatsu Doll is a kind of “Katashiro” (substitute doll) placed beside the pillow of an infant to protect the child. It was frequently used at the homes of the nobility in the Heian period. It has a round head made of white silk (glossed silk). Eyes, a nose, a mouth, and hair are drawn on it. Dress and display it to transfer an infant’s misfortune onto this doll.
Hoko Doll
Holds the same purpose as the Amagatsu Doll. “Osan-no-kishiki” (rules of delivery) in the Muromachi period says “Sew four corners of white silk cloth together, put cotton in, do blind stitches at the belly part to make the torso, and then, these four corners become arms and legs. Draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth, so that a boy will have a closed mouth and a girl will have an open mouth.” Black hair, made of silk and bound up with a golden paper, hangs over the shoulder. This doll is said to be the origin of stuffed toy dolls.
Muromachi-bina Doll (dolls of Muromachi period)
It is unclear when there was a change from standing Hina Dolls to sitting Hina Dolls. The original sitting Hina Doll may already have been born in the Muromachi period, as there was already an old Hina Doll called the “Muromachi-bina Doll.” It can be imagined that, at first, the sitting male Hina Doll was in Noshi (everyday robes worn by noble men) and put on Hakama (Japanese divided skirt) made of white silk. The sitting female Hina Doll had spread sleeves and the Hakama of red silk, as with the “Muromachi-bina Doll,” was drawn in “Kottoshu.”
Kanei-bina Doll (dolls of Kanei era)
Dolls from the Kanei era (1624 to 1644), the era governed by the third Shogun Iemitsu, the beginning of Edo period. The size of the male Hina Doll is a little bigger than twelve centimeters. Both the hair and crown are painted black, so we can see this is the method before the skill of planting hair was adopted. Hair and crown are made into the same singular clay work: what we call Kyokan-shiki (style of hair and crown being one part). The size of the female Hina Doll is a little bigger than nine centimeters and she wears the same short-sleeved kimono as the male Hina Doll, with wide sleeves on either side. This doll does not yet wear a Karaginu (short coat for noblewomen) or an imperial coronation crown. That figure has some remnants of the paper Hina Doll age, but then the Hina Doll becomes three-dimensional and the dolls look more like humans. This can be said to be the beginning of various Emperor and Empress dolls, which appear after.
Kyoho-bina Doll (dolls of Kyoho era)
In the Kyoho era (1716 to 1736), the “Kyoho-bina Doll” a more deluxe version of the Kanei-bina Doll became popular. Many of them are relatively large in size and the height was about 45-60 centimeters. The face is narrow and long, like those of the Kyoho-bina Doll. The face has a graphic expression, with eyes drawn by Futaegaki (double drawing), and a gold brocade; Japanese brocade was used for the attire. This Kyoho-bina Doll, which is large and wears luxurious attire, was often banned for being “too luxurious” by the government of the day. The male Hina Doll has extremely extended sleeves, bears a sword, and has a scepter in his hand. The female Hina Doll wears Itsutsugi (five layers of kimono), a Karaginu (short coat for noblewomen), and a Hakama (Japanese divided skirt) inflated with cotton. She has a formal folding fan in her hand.
Jirozaemon-bina Doll
Jirozaemon Hina Doll is said to be what Okada Jirozaemon, Kyoto Doll Maker Hishiya, started to make. This Doll became widespread when its creator went to Edo, in the era of the tenth Shogun Ieharu in 1761, and opened his Doll store in Nihonbashimuromachi. The male Hina Doll is in a black Ho (formal coat) and Kugyo Sokutai (formal court attire for noblemen). The female Hina Doll is in a Itsutsugi (five layers of kimono), a Karaginu (short coat for noblewomen), and a Mo (ancient skirt). Its big features are in its face. The face is rounder than before and has a Hikime-kagibana (long thin eyes and a hook-shaped nose). It has a dignified expression. This style stems from the face of the Amagatsu Doll. The elegant freshness of the Jirozaemon Hina Doll, was popular in Edo and established the place of the Edo Hina Doll for about thirty years, across the Horeki, Miewa, Anei, Tenmei and Kansei eras.
Yusoku-bina Doll
The attire of noblemen is accurately reproduced on Hina Dolls based on studies of usage and practice of the ancient court. It is also called “Shinno-bina” “Takakura-bina” or “Yamashina-bina.” It has been called the name of “Yusoku-bina” since the Meiji period. This doll started when a nobleman ordered one from a doll maker. Among these kind of dolls, there was the “Saiku-bina”, only the head of which was ordered from a doll maker and the attire of which was hand-made by women of a noble family. Most dolls are in Ikan (kimono and ancient head-dress) or “Noshi-bina” in Noshi, informal wear for noblemen. An extra change of clothing is added. The graphic face of Noshi-bina is sharply chiseled.