The name “Mokumegome doll” comes from the fact that the fabric is pressed into the shape of a doll.(kimekomi ningyo/kimekominingyo)
It is said to have been invented by Tadashige Takahashi, a servant of the Kamo Betsurai-jinja Shrine in Kyoto, during the Genbun period of the Edo period (1603-1868). The dolls were made of wood or paulownia wood powder mixed with glue (toso, a type of clay). The dolls are made of wood or paulownia clay (a kind of clay made by mixing paulownia wood powder and glue), and edges of glittering fabrics such as brocade, twill, and crepe are pressed along the grooves to make the dolls look like costumes. There are a variety of subjects, including Sekku dolls, Kabuki dolls, and dolls for the Chinese zodiac. Edo Mokumegome Ningyo” was developed when the technique was brought to Edo (present-day Tokyo). Today, it is designated as a traditional handicraft by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Saitama Prefecture.
