郷土玩具は、身近な材料を使い、こどもへの思いや健やかな成長を願って作られたものが多く、郷土色豊かな玩具が伝承されてきました。熊本市のおばけの金太、人吉市のきじ馬や花手箱などは個性あふれる玩具です。玉東町の木葉猿のように、縁起物だったものが玩具として有名になったものも少なくありません。八代市にはおきん女人形、板角力人形などがあります。てまり類は、女性の遊び道具として愛され、江戸時代から武家の婦女子のたしなみとして作られてきたといわれています。この他、タヌキの置物が4つのコマに分解される彦一こまなどがあります。
Many of these toys were traditionally made for children using readily available materials with the hope that the children would grow up strong and healthy. Toys are still made in Kumamoto using color schemes traditionally found in the area. There are some famous toys that were originally used as lucky talismans.
郷土玩具／Folk Toys
熊本県の郷土玩具について
おばけの金太
おばけの金太
木葉猿（このはざる）
三匹猿
彦一こま
彦一こま
きじ馬・花手箱・羽子板
きじ馬（写真左下）・花手箱（写真左上）・羽子板（写真右）
板角力人形・おきん女人形
板角力人形（写真左）・おきん女人形（写真右）
肥後まり
肥後まり
肥後てまり
肥後てまり
い草てまり
い草てまり
張子細工／宇土張り子
天草バラモン凧
江戸時代頃にポルトガルの宣教師が伝えたと言われており、天草では、男児の初節句に、これを贈ってお祝いをしていました。
微風でも上がるように竹ヒゴが細く、図柄は、朝日に鶴が舞い上がり、下部には亀が描かれた、目出度いものとなっています。
天草では、男児の初節句に、これを贈ってお祝いをしていました。
製作開始年代： 江戸後期
原材料：真竹、女竹、和紙
おばけの金太／木葉猿／彦一こま／きじ馬・花手箱・羽子板／おきん女人形・板角力人形／肥後まり／肥後てまり／い草てまり／張子細工／天草バラモン凧
Folk Toys of Kumamoto
Obake no Kinta
Obake no Kinta
When Kumamoto Castle was constructed 400 years ago, there was a foot soldier was quite good at making people laugh. He was called “Odoke no Kinta,” meaning “Funny Kinta.” Wind-up dolls were made based on this soldier in the 19th century, and were later called “Obake no Kinta,” meaning “Spooky Kinta.”
Obake no Kinta toys have a bright red face and a string attached which when pulled causes the doll’s eyes roll back and its long tongue to loll out.
Konoha-zaru
Konoha-zaru
Konoha-zaru, or Konoha monkeys, are simple toys made of unglazed clay in the Konoha area of Gyokuto Town. They are formed without a mold by roughly shaping the clay with one’s hands. It is said that in 723, a refugee from the capital made items to be offered at a shrine using the red clay found at Mt.
Konoha after he received a divine message in his dreams. According to legend, the leftover clay he threw away transfigured itself into monkeys.
Konoha-zaru are nowadays used as charms to protect against illness and calamities as well as wish for the prosperity of one’s family.
Hikoichi Koma
Hikoichi Koma
Hikoichi koma, or Hikoichi spinning tops, were designed based on the folklore, “Hikoichi’s Witty Story.” In this story, a man named Hikoichi defeats a naughty raccoon dog using only his wits.
The toy is actually an ornament shaped like the raccoon dog which can be taken apart to produce four spinning tops from the animal’s head, body, bamboo hat, and stage plus tail.
Kijiuma, Hanatebako, Hagoita
Kijiuma, Hanatebako, Hagoita
More than 800 years ago, Heike soldiers settled in the remote regions of Hitoyoshi after being defeated in battle in the Kuma area. It is said that they began crafting kijiuma, hanatebako, and hagoita in response to feelings of homesickness for their former lives in Kyoto. These toys are made from the wood of various trees including paulownia, Japanese angelica, wisteria, and oak. They are given a rustic design with red, yellow, and green paint.
Okinjo Dolls & Itazumo Dolls
Okinjo and Itazumo dolls are toys from the Yatsushiro area. Okinjo dolls are made by painting paulownia wood. These dolls are used by young girls to play dress up or play house.
Itazumo dolls were originally made in connection with sumo wrestlers from Hinagu in Yatsushiro City.
Higomari
Higomari is an ornamental ball with a core made from rice hulls and wrapped in cotton string colored with natural vegetable dyes to produce a design.
Higomari have been made since around 1965 and were based on the ball-shaped ornament “temari,” which have been produced in various regions across Japan since the Edo Period.
Higotemari
‘Higotemari’ is an ornamental ball. Women have transmitted the method for crafting these balls for hundreds of years. The famous song ‘Antagata Dokosa’ was made for the ‘Higotemari’.
Obake no Kinta／Konoha-zaru／Hikoichi Koma／Kijiuma, Hanatebako, Hagoita／Okinjo Dolls & Itazumo Dolls／Higomari／Higotemari