Japanese Toy Exhibit

While here in Guam, we are lucky to glimpse into some of the local culture as well as nearby cultures such as Japan. We spent today viewing the traveling exhibition, “Japanese Toys: Traditional and Contemporary” exhibit at Guam’s Isla Center for the Arts. The Japan Foundation collaborates with overseas museums on a wide range of exhibitions from traditional to contemporary arts. This exhibit introduces the “multiplicity and richness of Japanese toys, which reflect the everyday lives, the customs, and the aspirations of the Japanese people.”

It was a small but well put together showing of the variety of toys ranging from traditional toys to pre-modern toys, bamboo and wooden toys, as well as modern toys. The toys were beautiful and intricate. I particularly liked the “Battledores”. The top photo is an example of a battledore which I found to be striking.

Battledores are wooden paddles that were used for games of battledore and shuttlecock, which were traditionally played by girls. It first started being played as early as the fifteenth century and was later popularized in the latter half of the seventeenth century. Birds, flowers, and the faces of popular Kabuki actors were portrayed on one or both sides of the battledores. A piece of art by itself, elaborately decorated battledores are also made for display.

The Kokeshi were also simply beautiful. The wooden dolls were shaped using a lathe. The round head is attached to a limbless, cylindrical body, with a face painted on the head and floral and other designs on the body. They were originally folk dolls peculiar to the Tohuku region. They are said to have originated with dolls made from woodworkers living in the mountains for their small daughters.

I have other examples of the Japanese toys in my photostream. Can you see the little Hello Kitty and the origami? More about them later…

Sheila Cason, MD