Entsuko / Ejiko
えんつこ / 嬰児籠（えじこ）

Entsuko / Ejiko is a type of cradles, made of straw, or sometimes of wood or bamboo. They were popular mainly in farm villages in Northern Tohoku region, or cold places. It is not clear when they were first made and became widespread; nevertheless, it is said that people used them in Showa era (1926 - 1989).

Farmers usually used entsuko / ejiko in their house and stopping their children from going outside. They put a wood stick under entsuko / ejiko, and rocked the cradle. When they worked in their house, they lulled their infants with their one hand and worked with the other. When they were busy working in their farms, they brought it nearby their working places.

It looks like a basket or a cradle, and people put some cloths or straw at the bottom, which could be used instead of a diaper, so that infants felt comfortable. When it was a cold day, parents put comforter over their infants so that their children felt warm.