🎎 Antique Japanese Battling Top – Hand-Turned Wood and Iron Koma

🎎 This is a wonderful and well-worn Japanese battling top, or koma, likely crafted during the mid-Showa period (1940s–60s), though it may be older. Made of hand-turned wood with a riveted iron band and shaft, this top was designed for competition play—spun fiercely into a ring to clash with rival tops until one victor remained spinning.

The craftsmanship here reflects the Mingei (folk art) philosophy—form meets function, beauty emerges through use. The piece exhibits clear signs of age and spirited use: a weathered patina, surface rust, and a charmingly reinforced crack where a nail has been added to ensure continued play. The outer band is secured with two small nails, and the entire form feels balanced and deliberate, as if made with both childlike enthusiasm and a practiced hand.

These koma were everyday toys for Japanese children—often handmade and locally sourced—evoking memories of dirt-packed playgrounds and games under neighborhood shrine trees. Today, they are rare survivors from a time when joy came from simplicity and spinning tops were forged for play, not display.

Measuring 8 cm across and 6 cm tall, and weighing 150 grams, this koma makes for a deeply nostalgic collectible or conversation-starting display item. A tangible piece of Japan's playful past.