We Love Folk Toys: Culture and Design Specific to the Locality

Cute as they are, folk toys can reveal a great deal about the cultures and environments from which they originate. Often made from simple materials like paper and wood, they are deeply connected to local folk beliefs and customs. This exhibition at the Osaka Museum of History explores the museum’s folk toy collection, highlighting their materials and designs, as well as the symbolism, prayers and superstitions associated with them.

Key exhibits include an inuhariko, or papier-mâché dog, from the Taisho era (1912–1926). Such figurines, often decorated with floral patterns, were traditionally gifted to children to wish for their health and happiness. Here you'll also see a clay ox, a type of Fushimi doll sold along the approach to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, which was historically floated down the river to ward off smallpox.

The exhibition also features a Shinno’s Tiger, an Osaka Hariko papier-mâché craft and a cherished traditional art of the region, said to have originated during a cholera outbreak in the 19th century.