Ichiroemon Kubi Japan "Neck" Dolls - Tawara Rice Straw

Description

Set of four brand new hand-painted, baked clay Japanese doll heads with a straw bundle display. The term "Kubi" means "neck" in Japanese, perfectly describing these unique doll heads. Each head is crafted from clay, hand-painted, and mounted on a shaved wooden stick, reflecting traditional Japanese dolls, which used sharpened sticks for easy head swapping. When not in use, the heads are stored in a rice straw bundle, known as "tawara," a material historically used for various practical and ceremonial purposes in Japan. This set makes a captivating display for any admirer of traditional Japanese culture.

About the Listed Item

The display piece offered here includes four heads featuring three distinct expressions of the famous Japanese Kyogen (traditional theater) character Usobuki (also known as Hyotoko, or "The Whistler") and a single, very dramatic image of a Japanese Yamabushi Tengu. The Tengu are mythical creatures inhabiting Japan's mountainous regions, with origins linked to a fiery meteor that struck China in the 6th century B.C. The Yamabushi variety of Tengu are known for their crimson faces and extraordinary noses, as well as their disdain for humans they perceive as vain, boisterous, or corruptors of the Dharma (Buddhist law). The four kubi offered here come with an old-fashioned rice straw bundle for display, as well as a small wooden sign with hand-written Japanese calligraphy stating kubi ningyo, meaning "neck dolls." Interestingly, kubi were sometimes given as toys to children, who let their imaginations fill in the body of their unusual playmate.

This wonderful handmade item was produced by a humble yet locally famous Japanese crafts family who today augment their income by selling fruits and vegetables from their very old storefront along Japan's famous and historic Tokaido road (as depicted in the "53 stages of the Tokaido" woodblock print series). The family are hereditary Japanese papier-mâché artists, tracing their lineage back seven generations to the local craftsman Horio Ichiroemon, who once designed, manufactured, and sold papier-mâché items such as Daruma tumblers, traditional masks, hariko no tora (bobble-head tigers), and other items to feudal-era travelers and pilgrims passing by his old shop in the city of Shimizu on their journeys along the Tokaido. This item represents a rare opportunity to acquire an authentic handcrafted set of Japanese kubi heads made in the traditional way by one of Japan's few remaining hereditary crafts families. Please read below to learn more about this family, their business, and the unique location of their shop, Ichironsan, along one of Japan's oldest and most famous highways.

Size of display (dolls and stand together):
Height: 9.4 inches (24 centimeters)
Weight: 14.2 ounces (405 grams)

Important Note: Each of these hand-crafted masks is unique and therefore the authentic Ichiroemon Usobuki mask you receive will differ slightly in size and appearance from the mask photographed for this listing.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Please contact us anytime if you have questions or concerns about purchases made on this site.

• By Email: dinnerbytheriver@gmail.com
• By Phone: +1 949-466-0864
• Ship From Address:
  Art Hills Yada 501
  4-1 Yada, Suruga Ward
  Shizuoka City, Shizuoka
  Japan 422-8002

RETURN POLICY

• Eligibility: To be eligible for a return, the item must be unused, in its original condition, and returned within 60 days from the date of purchase.
• Return Process: To initiate a return, please contact us via the email or phone number above and within the specified return period. You will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.
• Return Shipping: Customers are responsible for the shipping costs associated with returning the item, unless the return is due to a product defect or error on our part.