Historical Background 

(Chinese & Korean description below)

The Nakayama Doll was first created by Yoshi Hiwatashi in around 1874. She learned clay work from her stepfather Ukichi Noda, who was a potter, and was inspired by a local pasted rag picture and paper doll. The doll was named the Nakayama Doll after the region where Yoshi lived, Nakayama in Yoshida village, Hiraka county (Yokote City today).

In the Showa era, the doll started to reflect Akita’s historical customs thanks to a successor who acquired the technique of Sendai’s Tsutsumi Doll (clay figure). Later, the doll’s style that involved applying bright colors by hand on molded clay was loved by folk-toy enthusiasts. Today, the Nakayama Doll is a clay doll known all over Japan.

In recent years, the Nakayama Doll includes traditional dolls, such as those with a Kabuki theme, as well as new types of dolls to portray Kamakura snow domes, the Kantou festival, and the Bonden ceremony. One popular series is Zodiac dolls. Their sheep dolls were featured on the 1979 New Year’s postage stamp.

Charactristics

Nakayama dolls use primary colors like red, yellow, green, and black effectively. Their drawings are detailed, bright, and elegant. As the process of creating Nakayama dolls, first a gypsum mold is filled with clay, the mold is cut out, and then the seams are carved to form a mold. After it is done drying, it is fired in a kiln and colored. We can learn about local life and culture from the doll. Because they were originally considered toys, the dolls were subject to chipping and peeling, but rather than being thrown away they usually made their way back to the creator. Unlike Yabase dolls, Nakayama dolls were painted throughout and had a much more refined look and feel.

To know more! 

Current Activities

The Nakayama dolls have been made by the Hiwatashi family for generations, but now Toru Hiwatashi, the 5th generation owner of Hiwatashi Doll Shop, is the only one. The dolls are found in the souvenir shops in Akita and craft and traditional toy shops outside the prefecture. You can also see Nakayama dolls of Akita dogs by Hiwatashi Giichi at Akita Prefectural Museum.

How to get there

Price

1,200-1700 for a clay bell

中山人形

傳承自橫手市的樋渡家的中山人形據說是平鹿郡吉田村中山(現橫手市)的樋渡YOSHI從從事陶藝工作的岳父野田宇吉學習來的黏土手工藝，他從橫手壓畫與串姉子(新娘模樣人形)得到靈感而創作才開始的。這是明治七年(一八七四)的事情，人形的名字取自其地名而稱為中山人形。

　進入昭和時代後，透過掌握了仙台堤人形技術的後繼者而加以改良，融合秋田風俗習慣的風俗人形由此誕生。之後，在成型的素陶上施以手工彩繪，其明亮的作品風格廣受鄉土玩具愛好家的好評，於是透過在全國各地土人形而廣為人們所熟知。

　近年來雖繼承了取自歌舞伎題材的舊式傳統人形，但也發表了展現鄉土傳統活動的雪洞節、竿燈、梵天等新作品人形。

　特別是借鑑干支的十二支土鈴是最受歡迎的系列，其中的羊鈴是被用於昭和五十四年(一九七九)度的賀年卡郵票的圖案。

中山玩偶

横手市樋渡家传承下来的中山玩偶，是由出身于平鹿郡吉田村中山（现横手市）樋渡义（译名）创作的。他从身为陶工的继父野田宇吉那里学来粘土手工艺的手艺，然后从横手押绘和女孩样式的玩偶那里得到启发，便开始了中山玩偶的创作。中村玩偶这个名字，来源于明治7年（公元1874年）时当地的地名。

进入昭和时代以后，其中一位继承者学习了仙台的堤玩偶技术，并用此技术对中村玩偶进行了改良。这样，融入了秋田的风俗习惯的风俗玩偶就诞生了。从那以后，在素烧后的玩偶上绘制鲜艳的彩绘的作品风格受到了乡土玩具爱好者的好评，并且成为了全国家喻户晓的土制玩偶代表。

近年来，它不仅继承了取材于歌舞伎的旧型传统玩偶，还发表了展现乡土文化的小正月传统仪式、竿灯节等题材的新型人偶。

特别是来源于十二生肖的十二支土铃是最受欢迎一个系列，在昭和五十四年（1979年）度,其中的一个生肖羊铃的图案还被用在了年贺状的邮票上。

나카야마 인형

요코테시의 히와타시 가문에 전승되어 오고 있는 나카야마 인형은, 히라카군 요시다 마을 나카야마(현 요코테시)의 히와타 요시가 시아버지의 도공・노다 우키치로부터 점토 세공을 배워, 요코테 압화와 구시 아네코(언니 인형)에서 힌트를 얻어 창작 한 것이 시초라고 전해지고 있다. 1874년 무렵의 것으로, 지명을 따서 나카야마 인형이라고 했다.

쇼와 시대에 들어서면 센다이의 쓰쓰미 인형의 기술을 습득한 후계자에 의해 개량되어, 아키타의 풍속 습관을 도입한 풍속 인형이 만들어졌다. 이후 형태를 만들기 위한 초벌구이 후에 손으로 채색을 한 밝은 톤의 작품은 향토 완구 애호가에게 호평을 받고 전국에 통하는 흙 인형으로 알려지게 되었다.

최근에는 가부키에서 소재를 따온 오래된 형태의 전통 인형을 계승하면서도, 향토의 전통 행사를 표현하는 가마쿠라, 간토, 본덴등의 신작 인형도 발표하고있다.

특히 간지(띠)에 연관된 십이지 토령은 가장 인기있는 시리즈로, 그 중 양령은 1979년도의 연하엽서용 우표 도안에 채택되기도 했다.