. Oita Folk Toys

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Oita Folk Art - 大分県 Ōita



Part of the former districts of 豊後国 Bungo and 豊前国　Buzen.
Toyo no Kuni 豊国　Land of Abundance


. eto kago nori shusse koma 干支かごのり出世駒
horses for a career　
in a basket, one for each of the 12 zodiac animals

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Beppu town 別府市
part of former Bungo province　豊後. Famous for its hot springs

. Komatsu Nyoin Daruma 小松女院だるま .
Kusu village

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. akaheko tenjin 赤へこ天神 Tenjin sama with a red robe . - clay doll

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fukujishi, fuku shishi 福獅子 auspicious lion
Bungo no Fukujishi 豊後の福獅子

They are made from wood by Isobe Ouson 磯辺鴎村. They look almost like small robots, just 5 cm high. See also dove mikuji, below.
They come in auspicious red and white to ward off evil.
They are sold during the lion dance festivities at the beginning of the rainy season to ward off evil and bring a good harvest. This dates back more than 400 years to the first regent, Ootomo Yoshinao 大友能直.

. Lion Head Amulets .

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. kideko, ki deko 木でこ head made from wood
Ootomo ningyoo 大友人形 Otomo dolls .
- - - - - 朝鮮の将軍標 shogunhyo dolls from Korea
Ootomo Soorin, Ōtomo Sōrin 大友宗麟 Otomo Sorin (1530 - 1587)
An amulet to ward off evil.

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mikuji hato みくじ鳩 dove with a fortune-telling lot



At Usa Hachimangu 宇佐八幡 / Shrine Usa Jinja 宇佐神社 a white clay dove was given as a present to people with good luck at their mikuji. Now it has become a well-loved clay doll.
They have been made in Isobe Ouson 磯辺鴎村, like the auspicious lions, see above.
They are about 7 cm long and 6 cm high.

They were first made by 溝口興四郎, a papermachee-doll maker. At the breast of the dove there stuck a paper with the inscription 県指定宇佐神社みくじ鳩 (Official dove sacred lot from Usa Shrine). When the paper was torn away, the mikuji paper could be taken out of an opening in the dove's breast.
After the war, these doves were made in Isobe Ouson 磯辺鴎村 as clay dolls. But when their maker was no longer able to produce them for the shrine, this custom died out.
To revive it, 豊泉堂 Bunsendo begun to make them again as souvenirs.


CLICK for more photos !

宮脇弘至「豊泉堂」：別府市小倉一組1
- source : More toys from Bunsendo -


. mikuji 御籤 fortune-telling with sacred lots .

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. nanbansen, nanban no fune 南蛮船 boat of foreigners .
(also known in Nagasaki)


shinme suzu　神馬鈴 clay bell with sacred horse
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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. takezaiku 別府　竹細工 Bamboo ware from Beppu .

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- quote -
Tsuge Comb
There is an old saying in Japan that beautiful hair can make any woman beautiful. When an archeological excavation discovered a 7000-year-old comb, it seemed to imply this way of thinking has been around for a long time. As a matter of fact, Japanese women put much effort into maintaining dark and luscious hair.



The Japanese ancestors believed that Tsuge combs made of Japanese boxwood made hair healthy and shiny because they caused less static electricity, preventing hair from breaking off. They thought Japanese boxwood was better than different materials for making combs. Japanese boxwood is considered to be a rare type of wood, and is sometimes imported from overseas. Tsuge combs made in Oita prefecture often use domestic boxwood from the Kyushu Region. The superior quality of these materials allows the comb to slide smoothly and gently down your hair. It is said that continuous usage of a Tsuge comb may help to improve hair texture as well. ...
Here is a traditional way of using a Tsuge comb;
dip it in Camellia oil overnight before using it. This will make your hair even more luscious. By the way, Japanese Sumo wrestlers use Camellia oil for their hair, too! Camellia oil is light and does not harm the comb. You can use a small plastic bag for the comb and oil. Before using it, you must remove any excess oil. You may want to repeat the above steps once in a while so that the comb is always well lubricated.
- source : japan-brand.jnto.go.jp/crafts -

. tsugegushi 柘植櫛 comb from boxwood .

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. yokanbee よかんべえ Yakko kite .
from Takeda 竹田, Usuki臼杵 and Bungo Takata 豊後高田.

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Hiji village 日出町 - - - (not Hinode)



Hiji ningyoo 日出人形 Hiji dolls
Hiji 日出（ひじ） is a small village at the edge of Kunisaki hanto peninsula 国東半島. They were made by Monjoo Osamu san 門上修, a designer from Oita, who started making dolls in 1988 together with his wife. Apart from clay bells he made about 100 different figures.

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. oni-e men 鬼会面 mask for the Oni-E ritual on New Year .
made by 虎熊佑 Torakumasuku / 民芸六郷山房 store in Akimachi Sedota, Kunisaki

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Hita town 日田市

. Hita 日田市 - Bungo no Kuni Hita 豊後国日田 .
former 天領 Tenryo government land, with a rich cultural heritage !

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Kusu village 玖珠町

Kitayamada no kijiguruma, kiji kuruma 北山田のきじ車
. Kiji-guruma きじ車 pheasant on wheels Kyushu

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Tsunomure jinja no uso 角埋神社のウソ bullfinch from shrine Tsunomure



This is a very simple carving for exchanging bullfinches. It almost looks like the "spirit of the forest" .

The shrine Tsunomure jinja 角埋神社 is located in the compound of the old castle of Tsunomure 角牟礼城跡 on the foot of Mount Tsunomure (577m) in Kusu village.
Minamoto no Tametomo 八郎源為朝 is venerated in this shrine.

The castle was built by Mori Tomomichi in the Koan period (1280).
During Japan's period of civil war, Tsunomore held a key position between various states and was fortified by the people of Kusu. In the 14th year of the Tensei period (1586), the castle withstood an attack by Shimazu Yoshihiro.
Today, stone walling some 7m high and 100m long still remains. Moreover, excavation since 1993 has found traces of a watchtower and a gateway dating to the period of Mori Takamasa, who ruled from the castle in the Toyotomi period. There are also remains of another stone gateway and a stone building measuring 10m by 6m. In 2004, Tsunomure Castle Ruin was designated a national historic site.
source :　nippon-kichi.jp


Minamoto no Tametomo (源為朝)
(1139 – April 23, 1170)
(also known as Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo (鎮西 八郎 為朝)
was a samurai who fought in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156. He was the son of Minamoto no Tameyoshi, and brother to Yukiie and Yoshitomo.
... Tametomo is known in the epic chronicles as a powerful archer and it is said that he once sunk an entire Taira ship with a single arrow by puncturing its hull below the waterline.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. Tametomo in Hachijo Island, Tokyo .

. Tametomo in the Daruma Museum .

. usokae うそ替え exchanging bullfinches .

. Tametomo driving out the 疱瘡神 Hosogami deity of smallpox .


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Nakatsu town 中津市

. Nakatsu mikoshi　中津神輿　Nakatsu Festival Float .
Nakatsu Gion Festival 中津祇園祭り


. 禅海和尚 clay bell of priest Zenkai .
digging the tunnel at Aonodōmon 青の洞門 Aonodomon


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Oita town 大分市

hina ema 雛絵馬 votive tablets with Hina dolls



from 長浜神社 Nagahama Shrine, with a special hall for these dolls, 絵馬堂.
Made in a long format to stand, from cedar wood 杉板, about 18 x 11 cm.
The wooden plates are painted with the Hina dolls.

The two deities of the Shrine, 大国主命 Oonmuchi no mikoto and 小彦名命 Sukunahikona no Mikoto are seen as 医道の祖神 deities of Medicine. The larger figure on the plate is Oonomuchi, the smaller one Sukunakikona.
These two were also printed on paper as amulets, to protect from fire and disasters.

Nagahama Shrine, 長浜神社：別府市長浜町1-8-9.

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. kubi ningyoo 首人形 head dolls / kushi ningyoo 串人形 dolls on a stick .
ichibun ningyoo 一文人形 head dolls with one letter
from 柞原八幡宮 Yusuhara Hachimangu at Hamanoichi 浜の市


. oni ema, oni-ema 鬼絵馬 votive tablet with demons .
白木浜の天満社 Tenman Shrine of Shirakihama

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yusubue 柞（ゆす）笛 flute (whistle) from Yusu tree seeds
From Usa Hachimangu - 柞笛（ゆすぶえ）


source : ameblo.jp/tsukimi3110

yusu, isu no ki イスノキ - 柞 / or ハハソ 蚊母樹, a kind of oak or mansaku. The seed of the tree is eaten up by insects and the empty shell used as an amulet and toy for children..

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Usa Hachimangu craft 宇佐八幡の神玩 - clay bell


. Usa Hachimangu, Oita 宇佐八幡宮 .
宇佐八幡宮弥勒寺, 八幡宇佐宮

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Takeda town 竹田市

. Takeda Hime Daruma 竹田の姫達磨 Princess Daruma


tamago ningyoo 玉子人形 egg dolls
Hime Daruma in a bamboo container
Chikuden 竹田玉子人形



Click for more Egg dolls from Takeda town.

. Egg dolls from Fukui .

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unarigoma, unari-goma うなりごま / 唸り独楽 spinning top making a sound
a kind of
takegoma, take-goma 竹ごま bamboo spinning top.



Made from round bamboo, with holes to let the wind blow through for a sound, ブーン buuun.
Most are not colored.
Made by Hatano san - 波多野晃郎：竹田市玉来733-1.

. unarigoma うなりごま from Kyushu .


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Toyoizumido 豊泉堂 shop in Oita, Beppu, 小倉1−1


onma おんま 　豊泉堂の古い土鈴 clay bell of a horse
地獄焼 Jigokuyaki, around 1906


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Ume village 宇目町

kenkagoma, kenka-goma けんかごま spinning top for fighting



Made from wood, on a spinning wheel. The stick is made from metal. The fight aims at destroying the top of the adversary.
Made by Taniguchi san 谷口喜三郎「梅喜工房」：海南郡宇目町千束3062-3.
Taniguchi san also makes other tops, 「ひねりごま」「平ごま」
in the form of a gourd, hyootankarakoma 「瓢箪からこま」

. Spinning Top 独楽（コマ） koma - Introduction .

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Usuki 臼杵


source : eonet.ne.jp...
Fukata sekibutsu 深田石仏 One of the stone Buddhas from Usuki - as a clay bell
大分県臼杵市大字深田804-1


- made by 小原スミコ Ohara Sumiko

. magaibutsu 磨崖仏 cliff Buddha statues .
Stone Buddhas from Kunisaki 国東半島 in Oita prefecture

. ura yakko tako　裏奴凧　Yakko from the backside .

. Hirota Kichiemon 廣田吉右衛門 "Kitchomu 吉四六 toy .


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. Reference and Photos . Gangu Guide .
. Reference and Photos . Yama no Ie . Folk Toys .

- clay bells from Oita - tba -
両子寺　仁王 !!
禅海和尚 /丸土鈴・獅子頭 / 熊野磨崖仏: 不動明王・ 熊野磨崖仏:大日如来
- source : eonet.ne.jp -


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. WASHOKU . Regional Dishes from Japan

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. Oita Folk Toys - this BLOG .


. Japan after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011


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