What is Hakata Doll? One of Japanese Crafts with 400-year history
What is Hakata Doll?
Hakata Doll is one of the traditional Japanese crafts with 400-year history. Hakata Dolls are produced in Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is located in the Kyushu region of southern Japan. How did Hakata dolls, which are still loved in Japan and around the world today, begin to be made? The origin of Hakata dolls dates back to 1600. When Nagamasa Kuroda, then lord of the Fukuoka domain, built Fukuoka Castle, the craftsmen who made the onigawara tiles presented the lord with excellent dolls using their pottery techniques. In the latter half of the Edo period, outstanding master craftsmen left their works and the industry developed further and further, becoming distributed throughout the country. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), Hakata dolls were highly acclaimed at international expositions such as Paris, and "Hakata dolls" began to be exported overseas as representative Japanese dolls, establishing their status as a traditional craft representing Japan.
Today, workshops producing Hakata dolls are scattered throughout Fukuoka City, carrying on the tradition. It is said that in order to inherit the high level of meticulous techniques, a craftsman must undergo a 10-year apprenticeship under a master in order to become a full-fledged craftsman. Hakata dolls can be seen in the streets of Fukuoka, and their beauty can be seen on every street corner. Reliefs, events, and exhibition facilities can be found everywhere in the city, so you should definitely visit them when you come to Fukuoka for sightseeing. Hakata dolls are recommended to be displayed in living rooms and bedrooms, as well as in entryways and work rooms. Of course, they blend well in a Japanese-style space, but they also blend well in a Western-style room. Hakata dolls are the perfect way to bring a new culture into your home or workplace.
Characteristics of Hakata Dolls
The most distinctive feature of Hakata dolls is their realism, which is expressed in elaborate and precise detail using advanced techniques. There is no other doll in Japan that reproduces with such precision the richly expressive carvings, the subdued beauty of the colors directly applied to the unglazed clay, and even the kimono worn by the doll. Hakata dolls are a traditional Hakata craft produced with outstanding techniques. There are two types of Hakata dolls: one made by a craftsman one by one and the other made in a mold. In either case, they are undoubtedly rare, as each doll must be handmade by a craftsman in order to make a prototype mold.
In addition, there is a wide range of dolls produced, from those originating in Japan, such as samurai, kabuki, and hina dolls, to those with more modern subjects. In the past, many people bought Hakata dolls as gifts, so large sizes were preferred, but today, many smaller pieces that can be casually displayed in a corner of a living room are also produced. Although the sizes are different, the passion and techniques used by the craftsmen are the same, and you can feel the craftsmanship that has been passed down and refined for more than 400 years.
Production Process of Hakata Dolls
Now that you know that Hakata dolls are the crystallization of precise techniques, the manufacturing process is also very interesting. The manufacturing process is also very interesting and we will introduce it in this paragraph.
First, we make a drawing of the image of the finished product and proceed with the process for making the mold. At this stage, even the coloring is imagined.
Drawing is the act of embodying the mind of each craftsman, and is an important process for expressing each person's view of the world. Each craftsman has his or her own characteristics, such as Japanese mythological design or modern design.
The clay is molded based on the drawing created. The clay is used to form the facial expression and clothing shape using a spatula.
Plaster is poured into the mold.
Once the plaster has hardened, the next step is to make the fabric. Clay is pasted onto the completed mold, and the face and kimono are made according to the mold.
Once the fabric is completed, the foundation for the doll is complete.
The formed prototype is then baked in a machine and allowed to dry.
After baking, the doll is colored in detail with a brush.
Even the smallest details of the kimono are carefully colored.
The colors are applied in detail so that the concept and world view of the work can be clearly expressed.
After the coloring process is completed, the entire process is finished. The completed work is delivered to the customer, and its charm is delivered to the customer's home or workplace.
Please click here to see the production process on Youtube.
Four Hakata Dolls Products
We hope you could understand that Hakata dolls are carefully and wholeheartedly produced one by one by craftsmen. There are various styles of Hakata dolls, such as designs of women in kimono, Kabuki, and designs based on traditional Japanese events.
This is a design of a woman wearing a kimono. The elegance and glamour of this work is characteristic.
Kabuki style designs are also available. The motif is based on a frame in a Kabuki scene.
There are also pieces with motifs of traditional Japanese events. It can be said that the work produced by our craftsmen is unique and one-of-a-kind.
