Japanese dolls are a part of the country's ancient culture and have been internationally
recognized and admired. In Japanese the dolls are called ‘
Ningyo ' which means human figures. The art of doll making is an ancient practice in Japan. The dolls are not only limited to cute children but images of demons, fairy tale characters and heroes have also made their place in the doll making industry. Initially
doll making in Japan was limited to the household where mothers and grandmothers used to make dolls for protecting their loved ones from evil spirits.
Japanese dolls are not only used to play or for decorative purpose but some of them also have an ecclesiastical side to them. The items which are used to produce the
dolls in Japan are plain and simple things like cloth, wood or clay. The names of the dolls sometimes depend on the region in which it is constructed like for example Nara, Kobe and Saga dolls. In Japan the dolls are so much a part of their existence that even a festival dedicated to dolls, called Hina Matsuri is celebrated in Japan. The dolls which are used in the puppet shows of Japan are called Bunraku. Some of the
dolls of Japan have an antique value attached to them which are mainly sold as collective items.
Some of the names of Japanese dolls are:
- Hina Dolls
- Musha Dolls
- Ichimatsu Dolls
- Kokeshi Dolls
- Daruma Dolls
- Hakata Dolls
Some of the museums where
Japanese dolls are on display are Kyoto National Museum, Japanese Antique Dolls, Yokohama Doll Museum and The International Doll Museum of Michael Cosgrove.
