Japanese Dolls
This site is organized by time, in particular the last 300 years or so corresponding to the bulk of the dolls known, primarily from
Europe. However, dolls existed long before the 1700s and in places far from Europe. Japanese dolls existed for centuries
before Europe was even Europe. The word for doll in Japan is ningyo or "man form" stemming from the use of the doll as a
representation of man.
Time periods in Japanese Culture
Joman period (12000-250 BC) (yes-BC)
Kofun period (AD 250-552)
Asuka period (552-710)
Nara period (710-794)
Heian period (794-1185)
Kamakura period (1185-1333)
Muromachi period (1392-1573)
Kan'ei era (1624-1644)
Edo period (1650-1868) Preceeding Europe, this was the height of the classic Japanese doll production.
Kyoho era of the Edo period (1716-1736)
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Construction of Japanese Dolls
As with European and American dolls, available materials were used initially, especially wood and cloth. Wood is a readily
available material for carving or sculpting as well as architecture in Japan and has been used for millenia. Types of wood used
are those found in the Japanese archipelago such as cypress (primary) as well as camphor, nutmeg, sandalwood and
cryptomeria. Peach wood is identified as a type of wood commonly used for ningyo in the early periods but there are few
examples to document this. During the Edo period, kiri wood was used.
Small dolls such as the gosho or palace dolls were often carved as one piece. For larger dolls, wood was used for the head,
hands, and occasionally lower legs and feet. The bodies for these dolls were usually framed with wood and stuffed with straw.
For the small hina dolls, the tapered neck of the head was inserted into this structure. For larger dolls such as musha, the
square cut neck was inserted into the body and pinned or wired into the upper extremity structure. The highly trained artists
focused on the heads while others often made the other parts of the doll.
Textiles supported the structure of the dolls as well as formed the clothing. Stiff brocade fabric often supported the body, while
silk covered the wood structure as well as the joints for those dolls with joints. Preferred textiles for the clothing was silk. Silk
weaves included pongee, satin, gauze, crepe, velvet, brocades and twill. Silk weaves and kinran (use of paper backed gold
thread in the pattern) originated and were imported from China. Velvet on the other hand was imported from Portugese traders.
Decorative techniques were also varied and included special dying, gold or silver threads, patterned weaves. However,
Japanese culture was very structured. Much as specific plaids were used for specific clans in Scotland, particular types and
weaves of cloth were reserved for specific classes. Because of this, throughout history, and similar to the laws limiting use of
certain fabrics in Europe, the Japanese ruling classes limited what colors or textiles could be used by various groups in society.
Unique to Japanese dolls is gofun. Gofun is a type of composition. Unlike the wood based composition of Europe and
America, gofun is composed of crushed oyster shells, animal based glue and water. It was used as a pigment but also as a
covering with a lustrous sheen. It has a light plastic quality allowing it to be "molded" with fine details often necessary for the
incredible expressions of the Japanese doll. The fine powdered crushed oyster shell is mixed with the glue and water then
applied in thin layers. As each layer is burnished, the gofun takes on a lustrous sheen very similar to porcelain. Gofun is
strong and durable but is also water soluble. Any water will dissolve the gofun right off the doll.
While these are the main ingredients of the Japanese doll, there are many additional materials that can be seen in these works
including bamboo and metal for structure, silk or human hair was used as hair, silk was used to created fur effects, while ivory,
clay, papier mache, and a type of wood composition (toso, a combination of pulverized wood and rice glue) can be found in
structural elements. The use of clay and wood composition, as in Europe, allowed the use of molds producing less expensive
dolls at greater quantities with less skilled labor.
Principle Types of Japanese Dolls
While there are many types of Japanese dolls, this site will explore four primary dolls: Gosho, Hina, Musha, and Isho.
Information specific to these types of Japanese dolls is available on the respective pages.
Similarities between Japanese and European dolls
Both probably began as fetishes or talisman substituting for the human form.
Both are associated with cultural traditions and festivities and substituted for the human form. For example, the Chinese
purification ritual or purification in which people submerged themselves in streams was a direct precursor to the Japanese
festival surrounding Joshi, a day of purification. Westerners have a similar tradition in Baptisms.
Both represent people or ideals ultimately held in esteem by the culture.
Both shared and spread cultural and artistic progression in part due to marriages between the ruling classes in distant parts of
the areas.
Both used color, textile, hair style and other characteristics as symbols of marital status, social rank and stature among other
things
Both used metal in their dyeing techniques which damaged the cloth fibers over time.
Both used the color red to ward off disease.
Both have faced controversy in their cultures (Barbie and girls image, boys day and WWII--neither caused the cultural problem
but both took the heat and substituted for the human)
Both were crafted by artisans from materials commonly available to the area, in particular wood and cloth.
Both came under government restrictions due to popular infringement upon the symbols of the upper classes
Both are dated by their materials, craftsmanship and relationship to technology, imagery, cultural norms, etc.
Both had heads made by the artists while others made the rest of the doll.
Both preferred silk or cotton textiles
Both reflected the development of the textile industry and changing tastes of the upper classes
Both have mechanical forms
Both influenced the development of the other
Both expressed a rise in the merchant classes as the social order of centuries was inverted as wealth shifted.
Differences between Japanese and European dolls
Physiognamy
Western classifications are often based upon material used to make the doll, Japanese classifications are based upon what the
doll represents as most were similarly constructed from gofun covered wood or papier mache.
Influence of Chinese Dolls on Japanese Dolls, of Japanese Dolls on European Dolls, of One Culture
Upon Another.
Dolls have traditionally represented man. Dolls have been ambassadors of culture and friendship. They have never gone to
war. What would happen if people could substitute for the doll and do the same,.....
Forest, Carol. http://www.bandcantiques.com
Funk, S. NorthernJapan Traditional Kokeshi. Ningyo Journal Winter 2003
Mertel, T. Antique Japanese Festival Dolls. Arts of Asia, September/October 1986.
Mertel, T. Circa 1989: Japanese Samurai Dolls. available on www. lasieexotique.com.
Mertel, T. Gosho Ningyo-Palace Dolls from the Ayervais Collection. Arts of Asia July/Aug 1996.
Pate, A. The Hina Matsuri-A Living Tradition. Daruma #17, WInter 1998.
Pate, A. Musha Ningyo-Portrait of Boy's Day. Daruma #14 Spring 1997.
Pate, Alan. Ningyo the Art of the Japanese Doll. Tuttle Publishers, Boston. 2005.Musha-ningyo or warrior dolls often used in
the Boy's Day Festival
Europe. However, dolls existed long before the 1700s and in places far from Europe. Japanese dolls existed for centuries
before Europe was even Europe. The word for doll in Japan is ningyo or "man form" stemming from the use of the doll as a
representation of man.
Time periods in Japanese Culture
Joman period (12000-250 BC) (yes-BC)
Kofun period (AD 250-552)
Asuka period (552-710)
Nara period (710-794)
Heian period (794-1185)
Kamakura period (1185-1333)
Muromachi period (1392-1573)
Kan'ei era (1624-1644)
Edo period (1650-1868) Preceeding Europe, this was the height of the classic Japanese doll production.
Kyoho era of the Edo period (1716-1736)
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Construction of Japanese Dolls
As with European and American dolls, available materials were used initially, especially wood and cloth. Wood is a readily
available material for carving or sculpting as well as architecture in Japan and has been used for millenia. Types of wood used
are those found in the Japanese archipelago such as cypress (primary) as well as camphor, nutmeg, sandalwood and
cryptomeria. Peach wood is identified as a type of wood commonly used for ningyo in the early periods but there are few
examples to document this. During the Edo period, kiri wood was used.
Small dolls such as the gosho or palace dolls were often carved as one piece. For larger dolls, wood was used for the head,
hands, and occasionally lower legs and feet. The bodies for these dolls were usually framed with wood and stuffed with straw.
For the small hina dolls, the tapered neck of the head was inserted into this structure. For larger dolls such as musha, the
square cut neck was inserted into the body and pinned or wired into the upper extremity structure. The highly trained artists
focused on the heads while others often made the other parts of the doll.
Textiles supported the structure of the dolls as well as formed the clothing. Stiff brocade fabric often supported the body, while
silk covered the wood structure as well as the joints for those dolls with joints. Preferred textiles for the clothing was silk. Silk
weaves included pongee, satin, gauze, crepe, velvet, brocades and twill. Silk weaves and kinran (use of paper backed gold
thread in the pattern) originated and were imported from China. Velvet on the other hand was imported from Portugese traders.
Decorative techniques were also varied and included special dying, gold or silver threads, patterned weaves. However,
Japanese culture was very structured. Much as specific plaids were used for specific clans in Scotland, particular types and
weaves of cloth were reserved for specific classes. Because of this, throughout history, and similar to the laws limiting use of
certain fabrics in Europe, the Japanese ruling classes limited what colors or textiles could be used by various groups in society.
Unique to Japanese dolls is gofun. Gofun is a type of composition. Unlike the wood based composition of Europe and
America, gofun is composed of crushed oyster shells, animal based glue and water. It was used as a pigment but also as a
covering with a lustrous sheen. It has a light plastic quality allowing it to be "molded" with fine details often necessary for the
incredible expressions of the Japanese doll. The fine powdered crushed oyster shell is mixed with the glue and water then
applied in thin layers. As each layer is burnished, the gofun takes on a lustrous sheen very similar to porcelain. Gofun is
strong and durable but is also water soluble. Any water will dissolve the gofun right off the doll.
While these are the main ingredients of the Japanese doll, there are many additional materials that can be seen in these works
including bamboo and metal for structure, silk or human hair was used as hair, silk was used to created fur effects, while ivory,
clay, papier mache, and a type of wood composition (toso, a combination of pulverized wood and rice glue) can be found in
structural elements. The use of clay and wood composition, as in Europe, allowed the use of molds producing less expensive
dolls at greater quantities with less skilled labor.
Principle Types of Japanese Dolls
While there are many types of Japanese dolls, this site will explore four primary dolls: Gosho, Hina, Musha, and Isho.
Information specific to these types of Japanese dolls is available on the respective pages.
Similarities between Japanese and European dolls
Both probably began as fetishes or talisman substituting for the human form.
Both are associated with cultural traditions and festivities and substituted for the human form. For example, the Chinese
purification ritual or purification in which people submerged themselves in streams was a direct precursor to the Japanese
festival surrounding Joshi, a day of purification. Westerners have a similar tradition in Baptisms.
Both represent people or ideals ultimately held in esteem by the culture.
Both shared and spread cultural and artistic progression in part due to marriages between the ruling classes in distant parts of
the areas.
Both used color, textile, hair style and other characteristics as symbols of marital status, social rank and stature among other
things
Both used metal in their dyeing techniques which damaged the cloth fibers over time.
Both used the color red to ward off disease.
Both have faced controversy in their cultures (Barbie and girls image, boys day and WWII--neither caused the cultural problem
but both took the heat and substituted for the human)
Both were crafted by artisans from materials commonly available to the area, in particular wood and cloth.
Both came under government restrictions due to popular infringement upon the symbols of the upper classes
Both are dated by their materials, craftsmanship and relationship to technology, imagery, cultural norms, etc.
Both had heads made by the artists while others made the rest of the doll.
Both preferred silk or cotton textiles
Both reflected the development of the textile industry and changing tastes of the upper classes
Both have mechanical forms
Both influenced the development of the other
Both expressed a rise in the merchant classes as the social order of centuries was inverted as wealth shifted.
Differences between Japanese and European dolls
Physiognamy
Western classifications are often based upon material used to make the doll, Japanese classifications are based upon what the
doll represents as most were similarly constructed from gofun covered wood or papier mache.
Influence of Chinese Dolls on Japanese Dolls, of Japanese Dolls on European Dolls, of One Culture
Upon Another.
Dolls have traditionally represented man. Dolls have been ambassadors of culture and friendship. They have never gone to
war. What would happen if people could substitute for the doll and do the same,.....
Forest, Carol. http://www.bandcantiques.com
Funk, S. NorthernJapan Traditional Kokeshi. Ningyo Journal Winter 2003
Mertel, T. Antique Japanese Festival Dolls. Arts of Asia, September/October 1986.
Mertel, T. Circa 1989: Japanese Samurai Dolls. available on www. lasieexotique.com.
Mertel, T. Gosho Ningyo-Palace Dolls from the Ayervais Collection. Arts of Asia July/Aug 1996.
Pate, A. The Hina Matsuri-A Living Tradition. Daruma #17, WInter 1998.
Pate, A. Musha Ningyo-Portrait of Boy's Day. Daruma #14 Spring 1997.
Pate, Alan. Ningyo the Art of the Japanese Doll. Tuttle Publishers, Boston. 2005.Musha-ningyo or warrior dolls often used in
the Boy's Day Festival
