Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll and wooden display stand.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The wooden stand is hand-painted and has some marks and scratches.  The doll and stand date from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and the doll may be missing some of its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll (excluding headgear): 4.3 inches (11.0 centimeters)
Height of stand: 1.0 inches (2.6 centimeters)
Width of stand: 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters)
Depth of stand: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Weight (doll and stand combined): 2.2 ounces (63 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S6-0004513
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll and wooden display stand.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The wooden stand is hand-painted and has some marks and scratches.  The doll and stand date from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and the doll may be missing some of its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll (excluding headgear): 4.4 inches (11.2 centimeters)
Height of stand: 1.0 inches (2.6 centimeters)
Width of stand: 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters)
Depth of stand: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Weight (doll and stand combined): 2.0 ounces (57 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S6-0004512
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll and wooden display stand.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The wooden stand is hand-painted and has some marks and scratches.  The doll and stand date from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and the doll may be missing some of its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll (excluding headgear): 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Height of stand: 1.0 inches (2.6 centimeters)
Width of stand: 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters)
Depth of stand: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Weight (doll and stand combined): 1.9 ounces (53 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S6-0004511
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll and wooden display stand.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The wooden stand is hand-painted and has some marks and scratches.  The doll and stand date from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and the doll may be missing some of its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Height of stand: 1.0 inches (2.6 centimeters)
Width of stand: 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters)
Depth of stand: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Weight (doll and stand combined): 1.7 ounces (48 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S6-0004510
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll and wooden display stand.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The wooden stand is hand-painted and has some marks and scratches.  The doll and stand date from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and the doll may be missing some of its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll (excluding headgear): 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Height of stand: 1.0 inches (2.6 centimeters)
Width of stand: 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters)
Depth of stand: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Weight (doll and stand combined): 1.9 ounces (53 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S6-0004509
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day empress doll.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The doll is missing some hair and should be handled with care to avoid further hair loss.  The doll dates from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and may be missing its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll (excluding headgear): 4.1 inches (10.5 centimeters)
Weight: 2.0 ounces (58 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S4-0004508
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day emperor doll.  This old doll is in poor to fair condition with marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The doll dates from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and may be missing its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll (excluding headgear): 3.9 inches (10.0 centimeters)
Weight: 2.3 ounces (65 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S4-0004507
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The doll dates from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and may be missing its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Length of pole: 5.3 inches (13.5 centimeters)
Weight: 1.0 ounces (29 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S4-0004506
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The doll dates from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and may be missing its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll: 3.3 inches (8.5 centimeters)
Weight: 0.6 ounces (18 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S4-0004505
ship code: G3

Description

Antique Japanese Girl’s Day doll.  This old doll is in fair to good condition with some marks and scratches and slightly worn and faded fabric.  The doll dates from the mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) or before and may be missing its original accessories.  Modern Girl’s Day dolls include bodies which are often made of plastic or other composite materials, while old dolls such as this usually have bodies made of tightly packed rice straw or solid wood with hand-painted ceramic or plaster heads displaying striking features.  The neck of these older dolls is usually made of a sharpened stick or square nail which is used to secure the head to the doll’s body.  Removing the head (pull gently) reveals the body beneath the layers of textured cloth and paper clothes and shows the head to be a unique and artistic piece of work in its own right.  In fact, particularly well made or very old Japanese doll heads are sometimes more highly sought after than the complete dolls they were originally attached to!  This doll may have originally belonged to a larger set of dolls which are given to young Japanese girls to arrange and display in the family home in the days leading up to the March 3rd celebration of Girl’s Day, which is a traditional Japanese holiday dedicated to little girls throughout the country.  Please read below to learn more about this very old and special Japanese tradition.  And please click here to see a complete list of available new and vintage Girl’s Day dolls!

Size:
Height of doll: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Weight: 0.7 ounces (19 grams)

Click here to see other Girl’s Day items!
Click here to see more Japanese dolls!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Girl’s Day

Sometime during the long Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) households with young girls began to set out attractive displays of dolls around the middle of February.  The dolls were usually kept on display until March 3rd which eventually came to be known as ‘Girls Day’ or hina matsuri as it is called in Japanese.  This special day is also sometimes referred to as momo no sekku which means ‘Festival of the Peach’ due to the fact that beautiful pink peach blossoms are often placed among the dolls on display.  Girl’s Day dolls are nearly always seen wearing the courtly robes of Heian period (794-1185) nobility.  And the dolls are frequently arranged on platforms consisting of between 5 and 7 tiers covered with red felt.  Though single-tier displays consisting of one male and one female doll are also quite common (especially in cramped modern apartments).  Young Japanese girls (such as our little Emily) often enjoy spending hours assembling and arranging their dolls and accessories according to very old rules of display (Internet websites help many modern Japanese parents learn the rules).  However, though the dolls may remain on display for many weeks leading up to March 3rd, tradition holds that the dolls must be put away promptly after this date in order to ensure a young girl’s future happiness with a home and family of her own.  A similar holiday for boys is the May 5th celebration of Boy’s Day.  In recent times, Boy’s Day has come to be known as ‘Children’s Day.’

item code: R2S4-0004504
ship code: G3