BLOG
9. “Writer doll on the karakuri chariots. Is it clockwork?”
This is
a continuation from BLOG 8. Fukurokuju-sha of the BLOG 6 have one dummy escapement
of the clock, but Hotei-sha has two dummy escapements which are attached to the
front and rear of the base.
I visited the storehouse of Hotei-sha in
the night. Such chariots are commonly maintained by the preservation society of
each town. Members of the society were preparing the chariot for the festival.
Also, at the room of the rear part of the warehouse, young members trained music accompaniment for the karakuri performance of the chariot.
These four photos are taken of a karakuri
chariot named “Hotei-sha (Hotei chariot)” which dedicates a festival to Arimatsu-tenman-sha
shrine in Nagoya City, Aichi prefecture. Hotei is one of Seven Gods of Good Fortune.
Hotei-sha has three karakuri dolls. The
main doll stands on the base and writes a letter to the paper like a flag attached
to the pole, and the written letter shows the audience by the turning of the
pole. Beside the base, another doll stands and grips the handle connected to
the base. This doll turns the handle and walks around the base to rotate it.
One more doll stands low level in front of those two dolls and waves the instrument
to purify the place. The making age of the karakuri is unknown, but the doll
for purify seems to be made in 1820.
There are three karakuri chariots including
Hotei-sha are dedicated to the shrine on Arimatsu Festival.
BLOG 6. “Appearing of the karakuri chariots - Part 2 B”
This is a continuation from BLOG 5. Three photos here are:
(1) The inside of the second floor of Fukurokuju-sha looking up
the panels to manipulate dolls.
(2) The doll stands on one hand and strike the small gong by the
other hand. Please pay attention to the gear train attached the front side of
the base. During the performing of the doll, the base will be rotated and
activated the gear train.
(3) The base attached the gear train was made in 1761 and still
working. The gear train imitates the escapement of the clock and no actual
effect. When operators in the chariot rotate the base, the geartrain is
interlocked. This escapement is a dummy, but it is an appeal, “Ladies and
gentlemen, this doll is clockwork!” (ref: JAK p.19).
It is thought that the first Japanese irregular time keeping
system mechanical clock was invented in Owari province, a part of Aichi
prefecture now. Owari province was governed by one of shogun’s family in Edo
period. About one hundred fifty karakuri chariots are survived in this area. The quantity of the karakuri chariots is greatest in Japan and also
it is unique that some of the chariots have such dummy escapements of the clock.
It is also interesting that many karakuri chariots of Owari have
traditions that their karakuri skills came from Takeda Karakuri which I
explained on the BLOG 1.
BLOG 16. “Mechanical crab suddenly appeared out of nowhere.” The highest rank of courtesan in Kyoto of Edo period was Tayu (or Dayu), ...
