User:守津 綾/神戸人形

Kobe doll（Kobe ningyo) are wooden toys that originated in the middle of the Meiji era, and are local toys in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. Generally, a doll is on a small box, and when you turn the knob next to the box, an arm with a cup, watermelon, etc. moves, opening and closing the mouth, moving the neck back and forth, and performing various movements.

Overview
Kobe doll began to be made in the current Kobe city around the middle of the Meiji era. The roots are a Rokurokkubi(Long-necked youkai）and a youkai with three eyes mechanism doll created by a man called "Mr. Haru of Nagata".

Created mainly for foreign tourists from the Taisho era to the early Showa era, it was preferred as a souvenir because of its unique movements and delicate devices.

It is not clear when some objects were painted black, but in the Showa era most of the works were painted black, and the name of Kobe doll became established.

In 1929 (Showa 4), a record remains dedicated to the Emperor Showa who visited Kobe.

Although the number of artisans decreased due to World War II and production stopped, after few years, there were movements of people who are sorry for the abolition of Kobe dolls. Production starts again with cooperation（Arao Chikashige,director of the Kobe City Nanban Art Museum, and Mr. Kato Morio, a folk toy lover and others).

It was highlighted by being exhibited at the Kobe Port Island Expo in 1981, and continued to be manufactured until the 1990s.

However, the number of manufacturers decreased due to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and production Disappeared due to the death of manufacturers.

In 2003, the Japanese Toy Museum in Himeji Resurrected with the cooperation of local artisans, but was discontinued.

Then in 2015, a puppet creator in Kobe resumed production.

Name
In the early days, it was called a "Obake ningyo(haunted doll)" because it looked like a Rokurokkubi(Long-necked youkai）and a youkai with three eyes.Or it was called a "Nunobiki doll" because it was sold at Nunobiki Falls.

Type
The representative works in the box are “Suika-kui（eating watermelon)” and “Sake-no-mi (drinking Sake)”.

A long box type, such as "Yu-suzumino Obake(Ghost in the sunset)".

Many are not in the box. Rickshaw, boat type, upright figure style, etc.

Main creators and brands
It seems that there were many other creators besides the author whose name is known, but there are many records whose details are unknown with no record.

The authors who are sure are: (Chronological order)


 * Noguchi Hyakkido・・・It is said to be the founder of Kobe doll. There are many works of the ghost he made it with a box tree.He is said to be the same person as "Mr. Haru of Nagata", also known as a strange person.
 * Dezaki Fusamatsu・・・Invented leverage mechanism.
 * Oda Tashiro・・・He made many black dolls and established them as Kobe doll. It was made to order on a photo catalog and exported abroad.
 * Kazuoka Masaatsu・・・Reconstructed Kobe dolls abolished after the war. Many works have "Kihachi" inscriptions.
 * Kiyoshishimaya・・・A toy store located in Motomachi Shopping Street (founded in 1890 (Meiji 23)). At first, they sold dolls made by Oda, but participated in the post-war reproduction process. Then the shopkeeper manufactured and sold it.
 * Kobe Center・・・A folk craft store located in Sannomiya Center Street. Initially, it sold dolls made by Kazuoka, but later commissioned Nara wood craftsman to sell its own dolls.
 * Uzumoriya・・・Making and sales since 2015.

External link

 * Japan Toy Museum