Doll

Scholars believe the oldest [hina] dolls were made like these, with paper clothing. Here, the paper was cut and folded for a subtle three-dimensionality, most noticeable in the trousers.

The earliest [hina] dolls had clothing made of paper, and were followed by ones like these, which feature clothing made of fabric. A closer look reveals ample use of gold thread.

These dolls portray court nobility, but with unusually extravagant clothing. Dolls of this kind were popular with city people in the Kyōhō era (1716–35).

The male doll wears a woven hunting robe patterned with cranes and clouds—a design worn only by princes. Japanese court costumes are regulated by traditional protocols called yūsoku. Yūsoku bina dolls faithfully adhere to these rules. They were usually commissioned by courtiers. This set was once a gift from Princess Yasuko of Arisugawa (1864–1963).

This pair is an example of Kokin bina, a type of doll developed in the 1770s by the Edo (Tokyo) dollmaker Hara Shūgetsu. These are unusual because they exemplify the tastes of Kyoto. Normally Kokin bina would have and courtly garments and inset glass eyes; however, these have painted eyes.

The maker of these clay dolls, Miura Ken'ya (1821–89), was influenced by Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743), an innovative Kyoto potter.

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This doll probably represents a celebrated [kabuki] actor who specialized in female roles. As if in a play, he moves forward with mouth open to speak, presenting a package.

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Gosho dolls—plump children with oversized heads—are made of wood coated with layers of gofun (white crushed shell pigment). They often wear silk crepe bibs or kerchiefs. The name gosho (“palace”) dates only from the Meiji period (1868–1912) and indicates how during the Edo period (1615–1868) these dolls were used as gifts from courtiers to visiting daimyo.

Kamo (also kimekomi) dolls are made of carved wood with silk crepe or gold brocade pasted into the contours of their bodies. They are so-named because they were traditionally carved from leftover pieces of the willow or boxwood used to make sacred implements for the Kamo (Kamigamo and Shimogamo) shrines in Kyoto.