Japan History and Culture

Hakata dolls

Hakata dolls are clay dolls manufactured in Fukuoka Prefecture,which lies in the north of the island of Kyushu.The dolls are made from clay found near Fukuoka City. Clay is carved and sculptured to make an original doll. The original doll is molded in plaster and clay is put into the plaster cast to make the same ones as the original doll.

The dolls are removed, dried, fired unglazed and then painted for final finishing. One striking characteristic of the dolls is the uniquely smooth transparent feeling of the white skin. Since a single artisan carries out the whole process from carving and sculpturing to final finishing, each doll reflects the individual creativity of its maker, thus producing such a high level of artistry and a diverse range of works.

In a way that mass production could never match, each carefully hand-crafted doll is endowed with its own life. Also, this process allows friendly, personal service whereby a customer can request a doll with a kimono pattern that represents their own wearing, for example. This is one of the reasons for the enduring popularity of Hakata dolls.

Daruma dolls (Bodhidharma)
Daruma dolls are symbols of good luck, hope and optimism.

Daruma is short for Bodai Daruma, the Japanese rendering of the name. These are spherical dolls with a red painted body and a white face. Paint in one eye with a black pen, make a wish and when that wish comes true, paint in the other other eye. Daruma are often used by people wishing to pass exams, win an election or conceive a child.

Daruma dolls usually made of paper mache, weighted on the bottom so they always stand up, even when pushed- symbolic of Bodhidharma’s persistence in meditation. There are many versions of Daruma in the various localities of Japan, some of them designated as female-”ehime daruma,” or “princess daruma.” One type is made with a gofun face and rich fabrics like a kimekomi ningyo, but shaped like a Daruma; these often come in boy-girl pairs.

They represent the Zen monk Bodhidharma. Takasaki’s Shorinzan Daruma Temple is the birthplace of daruma dolls as good luck charms.