NIPPONIA No. 40 March 15, 2007
Special Feature
The Cute World of Kawaii
An endearing world in miniature
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Bonsai trees represent nature in miniature. These are mini-bonsai.
Photo: Sugawara Chiyoshi |
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Tortoiseshell kanzashi hairpin with fanciful bird and wave motif. Length 10 cm.
Property of National Museum of Japanese History |
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Left: Flashy cell phone decorated with rhinestones. Girls and young women are flocking to gorgeously decorated cell phones in ever-larger numbers.
Right: Inro container for carrying medicine, decorated with a maki-e snowflake pattern. The netsuke used to secure the cord is finely worked. 19th century. Property of Eisei-Bunko Museum |
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Hana (flower) kanzashi hairpin for Kyoto dancing girl. Small flowers made professionally by hand using mainly silk and wire.
Photo: Mizobuchi Hiroshi |
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Hago-ita racket for shuttlecock game, with oshi-e cloth design. Height 60.4 cm.
Property of Yumioka Katsumi |
Bottom: Hina ningyo dolls to celebrate the health and happiness of girls. Manufactured in the late 18th or early 19th century. The dolls' tiny accoutrements also show fine workmanship. For example: containers for match-the-picture shell game pieces (above left), height 5 cm; and ivory inkstone case (above right, on left of photo), 3 x 4 cm.
