Shitakawara-yaki Tsuchi-ningyo is a rustic clay doll that has been fired in the Shitakawara district of Hirosaki City. It is said to have originated in the Bunka era (1804-1814), when the ninth lord of the Tsugaru domain, Tsugaru Yasuchika, concerned that the Tsugaru region had few toys for children, had potters of the domain kiln in Shitakawara, including Takaya Kinzo and Ota Kumejiro, make them. Clay made by blending red clay with sand is shaped in plaster molds, fired at about 800 degrees, and then colored entirely by hand, so no two dolls have quite the same expression. Among the most representative pieces is the dove-shaped whistle, which produces a gentle "ho" sound, and hundreds of varieties of clay dolls have been made over the years, including zodiac figures. Since the Meiji era it has continued to be cherished as a folk toy of Hirosaki and has also been designated an Aomori Prefecture Traditional Craft. Today, the handful of kilns still remaining in Hirosaki City carry on techniques passed down for more than two hundred years.
Origin
It is said to have originated in the Bunka era (1804-1814), when Tsugaru Yasuchika, the ninth lord of the Tsugaru domain, concerned that the Tsugaru region had few toys for children, ordered potters of the domain kiln in Shitakawara, including Takaya Kinzo and Ota Kumejiro, to fire clay dolls. The first-generation Takaya Kinzo is said to have built a kiln in Shitakawara, Hirosaki, and, alongside firing everyday pottery, made simple doll toys as winter work.
History
Since then, dove whistles, zodiac figures, and other pieces have been made generation after generation at the Shitakawara kilns and cherished by ordinary people as a folk toy of Hirosaki. Over time the number of kilns declined, and today only a very small number continue production within Hirosaki City, but the Takaya family has passed the craft down through seven generations and also takes on new works based on motifs such as yokai spirits and local festivals. Designated an Aomori Prefecture Traditional Craft, this handwork spanning more than two hundred years is still preserved today.
Features
Its greatest characteristic is that clay made by blending red clay with sand is pressed into plaster molds to be shaped, fired at about 800 degrees for several hours, and then colored entirely by hand. Even when made from the same mold, brushwork in the painting means no two pieces have quite the same expression. The signature dove whistle is known for its simple, gentle "ho" sound, and a wide variety of other pieces are also made, including zodiac figures and dolls inspired by the Neputa Festival.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Shaping
Clay made by blending red clay with sand is pressed into a plaster mold and shaped.
- 2
Firing
The unglazed piece removed from the mold is fired at about 800 degrees for several hours.
- 3
Painting
The fired doll is finished with color applied entirely by hand.
Artisans & Workshops
高谷下川原焼土人形製陶所
A kiln in Kikyono, Hirosaki City, continuing since the first-generation Takaya Kinzo. Takaya Tomoji, the seventh-generation potter, works on traditional dove whistles and zodiac figures as well as a new series inspired by the yokai spirits of Tsugaru.
How to Buy
- 人形の鯉徳
- An online shop selling folk toys. It carries dove whistles from Shitakawara-yaki, available in a medium size from around 1,200 yen and a large size from around 1,400 yen.Where to buy →PR