Decorative dolls made with Japanese paper

Shoichi Hashimoto, Miharu Hariko doll artist, participated in the 2011 REVALUE NIPPON PROJECT as well. He and his team were responsible for creating the piece that was very popular at the TAKE ACTION CHARITY GALA 2011, the big polar bear.
It was a gigantic polar bear more than 2 meters in height. What was it made of?, one might ask. It was made with ”washi”. It was made using a method of paper mache where layers of ”washi” are bonded to a wooden cast.
Miharu Hariko dolls are referred to as ”deco doll” by the Fukushima locals. It is said to have begun about 300 years ago in Edo Genroku period, when hariko doll making arrived from Kyoto. The word ”deco” came from the Japanese word for papier mache ”hariko”. Hashimoto is the 21st head of Deco House Oguroya. After teaching art, he succeeded his family business as a deco doll maker. He is an artist who challenges new things while carrying on the tradition.

Deco house where many craftsmen gather.

Hashimoto’s shop and atelier are located between the mountains in Koriyama City, in a village with beautiful nature. It was once a artisan village, protected by the Miharu clan. Presently, there are 4 deco doll houses lining the village, including Hashimoto’s Oguroya.
”Deco doll are all handmade and can not be mass produced. I think that is good. I would like people to actually come here, take in the relaxing air. I think this environment is part of the deco doll’s appeal.”
Our visit coincided with the peak season for creating the 2013 zodiac dolls, the snake. Many artisans were bonding Japanese papers to the wooden cast, finishing up the dolls.

Special techniques for making deco dolls

Deco doll making at Oguroya involves division of labor. Hashimoto is the only one who can make the wooden mold. Special technique is required to make the traditional mold. He told us that he remembers a lot from having watched his grandfather make the molds when he was a child. He then brought a wooden mold and paper, looked at Nakata and said, ”Please give it a try.”

Nakata, born in the year of the snake, tries doll making

Nakata began immediately. As expected, he chose the snake as the theme. He applied the wet ”washi” on the wooden mold as he stretched the paper, trying to avoid any wrinkles. The ”washi” was stronger than expected. It didn’t rip even if he pulled on it tightly.
”You are good. I can tell you are good with your hands. To tell you the truth, the snake is a hard one to make.” Hashimoto complimented. Upon hearing the compliment, Nakata made a request.
”I was born in the year of the snake. So please make it great, my snake!”
”OK, let’s make a 2 meter long snake!”
”Can we make it a little smaller…?” (laughing)
Nakata’s task ends at ”paper pasting”. After that, the wooden mold is dried, the ”washi” is cut to remove the wooden mold, then once again, the ”washi” is put back together, shaped, and painted. By actually touching it, we were able to experience the strength of ”washi” as a material.

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Love the dolls

”I don’t really like dolls being kept in glass cases. I want them to breathe the same air as we do.”

So said Junpei Ishikawa in a gentle manner. He is a doll artist who makes ”kimekomi” dolls in Iwatsuki, known as the town of dolls. His predecessor, his father, is a leading figure in the world of doll making, and was designated Intangible Cultural Property by Saitama Prefecture. He learned the art of doll making under his father, and succeeded the name Junpei Ishikawa. He not only makes ”hina ningyou” for girls’ festival and ”gogatsu ningyou” for boys’ festival, but various dolls that express the warmth of the human heart.

Creates faces as well as bodies.

Generally, dolls are made by division labor. That means, there are different artisans who specialize in making the head, the body, the hair, clothes etc. His father originally specialized in making the head.

”But then I thought, a doll is not just a collection of parts. I wanted to make everything by myself, the face, the hands, the feet and all,” said Ishikawa.

After that, he learned drawing from a teacher of sculpture, and now every process of doll making is done in his workshop. This is a very rare thing indeed, even in Saitama Prefecture where the largest production volume of dolls in Japan are boasted.

Blowing life into the small figure.

The kind of dolls Ishikawa makes are called ”kimekomi” dolls. The figure is made from powder of paulownia trees and ”shoufu” glue mixed together to make ”touso”, grooves are carved on the figure, and pieces of cloth are pushed into the grooves to dress the body. The face is made of baked ”hakuundo”(a sort of clay), painted with ”gofun”, then eyes are drawn with a very thin brush. Gradually, the doll will have expression.

There was one doll in the workshop, which was intended for Nakata. He began to dress the doll under Ishikawa’s supervision. The doll began to look as if it took life. Then Ishikawa again said, ”I’ll be glad if you would keep the doll outside the glass case.”
Japanese have the custom to display dolls to make wishes for the loved ones on occasions such as ”Hinamatsuri” and ”Tango no Sekku”. The attentiveness of the handiwork in making the dolls seemed to blow life into the small figure of a doll.

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Takasaki City is Japan’s No. 1 “Daruma City

Takasaki Daruma, also called “Toyooka Daruma,” is widely popular throughout Japan. The scene of an elected politician putting black eyes on a Daruma doll at the time of an election is often seen on TV. Most of these daruma dolls are Takasaki daruma, and Gunma Prefecture is a “daruma town” that accounts for the majority of daruma doll production.

Daimon-ya, the home of Daruma dolls, is a long-established Daruma doll shop with a 200-year history. The shop produced a Samurai Blue Daruma doll for the 2010 World Cup.

Entering the workshop, Daruma dolls in the process of being made are crammed into a small space, and they are placed like bells on the floor. In between the Daruma dolls, a craftsman was painting them.

At this workshop, visitors can try their hand at painting Daruma dolls. Visitors can choose a Daruma doll of their choice, and then make their own original Daruma doll by painting on the doll’s eyes and beard while expressing their wishes. The Daruma doll Nakata chose was yellow. He said he was praying for traffic safety. What?　I wonder how I should draw it,” Nakata wondered as he compared his brush with a model Daruma doll, which was a wonderful model.

However, he is not able to make as much progress as he would like because the model’s eyebrows and beard are so splendid. Finally, he finished the Daruma doll with the names “NAKATA” and “JAPAN” and a very fine eyebrow and beard, while stealing a glance at his master’s brush. Finally, the master added the words “Traffic Safety” in green letters to complete the work.

For more than 200 years, the Takasaki Daruma has been watching over people’s well-being. The rounded shape of the doll means “seven falls and eight rises. It is a powerful figure that conveys to the present day the teaching that even if you fall down, you will always get back up again.

The post Try your hand at painting Daruma dolls! Daimon-ya, the home of Daruma dolls / Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.