"Miyuki" (OKAMA NINGYOU Japanese Ningyou Decorative Doll)

[tasuke]

i just found this lovely Japanese decorative "Hikata" doll at my local GOODWILL for around $20.

She is LARGE, about the size of a VOLKS Super Dollfie, i'd say, about 30-odd in. or so.
she is of the traditional "Hikata" variety of decorative Geisha dolls,
so, unfortunately, she lacks an actual body under the non-removable fabric Kimono,
but that drawback aside, she is a Magnificent display piece.

these are known as "Ningyou" dolls. this one, specifically, is by the "OKAMA NINGYOU" Brand.

these were once fairly common in Japan as gifts to a newlywed couple,
and as home furnishings for personal household religious shrines and such.

Ningyou dolls such as this one were among the highest quality ever made.
these sorts of dolls have been around for at least 40/60 years, IIRC,
and were common souvenirs of U.S. military servicemen stationed in Asia
back in the Cold War era when the U.S. actually maintained significant permanent presence abroad.

i believe the doll i have here dates to sometime in the 80's~90's, and was among the zenith
of quality and realism in this now seemingly fading/lost Japanese art.

imagine the quality and detail of today's VOLKS Super Dollfies,
matched with the exquisite old-world elaborate detail of this Ningyou dolls' Kimono...



She does have a rather lovely, Serene sort of eression. i believe i shall be calling her "Miyuki"

[davidd]

Oh my gosh, this is stunning! Are the eyes actually inset glass?

My parents had a figure like this in our house the entire time I was growing up. I believe it had painted eyes. My dad brought it back from Japan when he travelled there in 1964 (before my time), shortly after my parents had moved in to their newly built house, so it is interesting to learn that these were traditional gifts for newlyweds and has home furnishings.

This is a spectacular find! Congratulations! And thank you for sharing the photos and the information.

(Coincidentally, I see in your signature that you are in Oregon. I grew up in Oregon.)

[tasuke]

yeah, they're glass eyes.

yep, i was born in PORTLAND, OR. in early 1982, lived there until about 1992, when my family moved up here to the opposite end of the sate, near PENDLETON...

[davidd]

yep, i was born in PORTLAND, OR. in early 1982, lived there until about 1992, when my family moved up here to the opposite end of the sate, near PENDLETON...

A doll hobbyist out there in cowboy country, huh? That must be... well, a lot like being a doll hobbyist out here in cowboy country in rural Utah!

[Cornflower Blue]

She's very pretty! And my first thought if I found a doll like this at a thrift store would be: Can I use that kimono on one of my dolls?

[fishy]

Okama brand...

Heheh.

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I'm guessing it's spelled with other characters though!