. Aomori Folk Toys

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Aomori Folk Art - 青森県　

The capital of the prefecture is Aomori.
Hirosaki is famous for the cherryblossoms in the castle park.
Two peninsulas, Tsugaru and Shimokita, are placed around the bay of Mutsu.

Part of Aomori was the former domain of Nanbu 南部 Nambu.

One of the great summer events in Tohoku is the
. ねぶた祭り　 Nebuta Festival .
It also comes with its toy many versions.

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Aomori ningyoo 青森人形 / 土人形 clay dolls from Aomori



namazu nori no saru なまず乗り猿 monkey riding a catfish
and the other animals of the zodiac.
The dolls are twisted by hand 手捻り, so each one is an original and usually with a touch of humour.
Made by 福原英治郎 Fukuhara Eijiro, but since his death they are not made any more.


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enburi ningyooえんぶり人形 Enburi dance dolls
enburi no eboshi えんぶりの烏帽子 hat for Enburi dance
. Enburi Dance えぶり 柄振り - Introduction
February 17 - Hachinone 八戸


. Hachiman koma 八幡駒 Horse toys of Aomori
Sarunori Hachiman koma 猿乗り八幡駒 Monkey on a horse
Nanbu koma odori 南部駒踊り Dancing Horses / Hachinone 八戸
Hirosaki umakko 弘前馬コ horses from Hirosaki　弘前


. Hirosaki Daruma 弘前だるま .

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source :　upp.so-net.ne.jp/u1cku/gangu5
haneto はねと Haneto dancer "jumping people"

They basically jump two times on the right foot and two times on the left, for about 2 hours during the long parade of the Nebuta festival! This is not a dance, but a jumping performance.
. ねぶた祭り　 Nebuta Festival .

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kingyo nebuta 金魚ねぶた goldfish nebuta

Some dancers of the Nebuta festival used to carry them in the hands and made some noise with the little bells.
Now they are just made as souvenirs.
. Nebuta Float Festival in August 　ねぶた　ねぷた　.

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. kogin-zashi こぎん刺し　Koginzashi embroidery .

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kukemari くけまり / くけ毬 hand balls
In former times, every home made their own from old pieces of cloth and left-over colorful threads, called kuke ito　くけ糸. They are decorated in all kinds of geometrical patterns.
Now the "Old Folks's Club" 老人会 of Hachinohe makes them to remember.
Hachinone 八戸



source :　marugoto.exblog.jp

Another hand ball is the
Nanbu himemari 南部姫毬 princess hand ball from Nambu


. temari 手まり、手毬 hand ball - Introduction .


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. Kumiki gangu 組木玩具 wooden puzzle toys .



. mushiokuri ningyoo 虫送り人形 figures "to ward off insects" .
Goshokawara 五所川原市



Nuruyu kokeshi 温湯温泉 こけし wooden dolls from Nuruyu hot spring
. Kokeshi　こけし Wooden　Dolls - Introduction .




oogi nebuta 扇ねぶた nebuta float like a handfan
Hirosaki 弘前 - miniatures from the Hirosaki Summer festival floats.
The back side could be opened to insert a candle.

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Shimokawara yaki 下川原焼 clay figures from Shimokawara
Hirosaki (Shitakawara yaki （したかわらやき）)


source :　marugoto.exblog.jp

tsuchi bina, tsuchibina 土雛 dolls for the Hina doll festival, from clay

Many colors are used to make these dolls pleasant, calling in the Spring in Tohoku.
Now made by 高谷信夫 Takaya Nobuo
弘前市桔梗野1-20-8　 Hirosaki


. Oniwakamaru 鬼若丸 and the carp .

... hatobue 鳩笛 dove flute ... ningyoo bue 人形笛 doll flute

. menbue, men no fue 面笛 masks as clay whistles .



Shitakawarayaki tsuchiningyoo　下川原焼土人形
Shitakawara Pottery Earthenware Dolls
Tsugaru


source : marugoto.exblog

These simple dolls became the toys of poor children in the region, and were soon traded in many parts of Japan via itinerant vendors.
A present-day maker is Abo san 阿保正志.


He makes yurayura hatobue ゆらゆら鳩笛 among many others .

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kubi ningyo 首人形 head dolls
a kind of anesama elder sister doll to dress up.


. chokin Daruma 下川原の貯金だるま Daruma as piggy bank .
Hirosaki 弘前

. Kubi ningyoo 首人形 head dolls INFO .


. Momoko モモコ　kokeshi wooden dolls .
in cooperation with Tsuchiyu Onsen　土湯温泉　Tsuchiyu Hot Spring, Fukushima


. Shimokawara oiran ningyoo　花魁人形 Oiran geisha doll .

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source : aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo...

tebineri ningyoo 手捻り人形 / 手びねり人形 hand-twisted dolls

. uma nori dattan jin 馬乗りダッタン人 Russians on horses .

... ushi nori Tenjin 牛乗り天神 Tenjin on a horse
. hitsuji nori otome 羊に乗る乙女 young woman on a sheep .

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Tsugaru Peninsula
Hirosaki 弘前

Tsugarudako, Tsugaru tako 津軽凧 kites from Tsugaru


CLICK for more colorful samples !

This kite is different from other Japanese kites. It has wooden frame instead of bamboo which is usually used by other kites. The painting of Tsugaru is one of the most decorative and impressive kite in Japan.

. tako　凧 Kites of Japan - Introduction .


. Tsugaru Glas Daruma　津軽のガラスだるま

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Tsugaru Kokeshi 津軽こけし wooden Kokeshi dolls from Tsugaru



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Tsugaru nuri 津軽漆 laquer ware



- quote -
Tsugaru nuri is Aomori prefecture’s one and only historic and economic industry and work of art. Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori prefecture, located at the very northern part of Honshu in Japan. Although lacquer is common to see in every part of Japan as a historical form of art, the ways in which it is manipulated varies depending on the region. There are many different types of techniques for tsugaru nuri, but the first one that catches the eye is “kara nuri”, with its flamboyant and unique design.
“Kara nuri”
is a way in which speckles and checkers are drawn with lacquer on a flat foundation, with a ground color painted on top of the surface. On top of that layer, using sand grindstone or coal, the designs are grinded out, and a glossy lacquer is layered… As you can see, this is a very tedious and complicated procedure. There are other ways in which flower seeds are used in order to make small designs called “nanako nuri”. For all of the techniques, the lacquer is painted on over and over, a process that has remained unchanged for over 300 years. This is why each artwork takes over two months to complete.
Tsugaru nuri
was founded at around the 17th or 18th century. When the Edo period started in 1603, the world was doing well in terms of politics. Then, a law was passed stating that “alternate attendance” was required, and that the feudal lords of each region of the country were to frequently visit Edo. Because of this, people from Kyoto, Osaka, and Edo started to spread to other districts, and local industrialization was encouraged. This is the period that is known to have influenced the beginning of artworks and crafts in Japan. In the case of tsugaru nuri, many artists and craftspeople came from various regions of Japan to the region of its birth to improve their own skills.
Historical items
such as bowls, chopsticks, plates, and tea supplies using tsugaru nuri have long been popular, but recently smart phone cases and accessories made with nuri technique designs can be found as well. This is an extreme blend of the old and new, with modern technology wrapped in designs that have been around since the 17th century. If you want to be unique and carry around something that is a different from others, you must get a hold of one of these items!
- source : japan-brand.jnto.go.jp/crafts...-

. Kokeshi from laquer .

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Daruma, about 11 cm high

Utoubori, utou bori 善知鳥彫 woodcarving from Utou
Aomori (Utou is an old name for Aomori). It is the name of a water bird, rhinoceros auklet,
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the bird!

Wood was cut into three block and then rough woodcarving was done with one knife, with a few colors added later.
Apart from Daruma, there were also Christian priests (bareren) ばてれん, nuns 修道尼 and visitors for the plum blossoms.

. Utou-bori Daruma 善知鳥彫だるま

Utou Jinja 善知鳥神社 Shrine Utou, Aomori
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the shrine !




HP of the shrine
http://www.actv.ne.jp/~utou/

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Yawata uma 八幡馬（やわたうま） Yahata horse

- quote
It seems to be Yahata horse's start that the woodwork masters around in Hachinohe in the southern part of Aomori Prefecture had made horses of wood carving around 700 years ago.
It has strong colors, with a red and black horse as a pair.
Yahata horse's old doll planted genuine horsehair in the hair in the part of the back . . .
- source : folkcraft.samurai47.com


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zugurigoma, zuguri koma ずぐり独楽 spinning tops
Hirosaki 弘前, Kuroishi 黒石市

They are made strong enough to be used in snow country.
ずぐり（づぐり） spinning tops from Aomori
jinguri じんぐり / おわんずぐり / さらずぐり
うちぐりずぐり Aizu
かぶずぐり Aomori
三重さらずぐり Yamagata and Aomori, 温湯
- source : www.wa.commufa.jp/~koma -

. koma 独楽（コマ） spinning top - Introduction .

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. Reference and Photos . Asahi Narumi .
. Reference and Photos . Gangu Guide .

- #aomori #tsugaru #hirosaki -
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. WASHOKU . Regional Dishes from Aomori

MORE
. Aomori Folk Toys - this BLOG .


. Japan after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011


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