What does “Tenko” mean? Explanation of the meaning of this doll(Amagatsu)
Also spelled Tengei or nun. A doll to be placed by a child’s bedside to take the burden of illness, misfortune, or defilement that may befall the child. It is recorded that such a custom existed during the Heian period (794-1185). The doll is made of a simple wooden or bamboo frame with a round silk head, eyes, nose, mouth, and hair painted on it, and is dressed in a costume. An Edo period book describes that the doll was used until the child was three years old. A similar type of doll is the hoko, a silk doll made to resemble a crawling child.
