Sunday, July 6, 2025

 

BLOG 7.  “Writer doll on
the karakuri chariot since Edo period

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.


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