Place of origin: Takeo City, Saga Prefecture
Donated by Shikano Ichio
Characterized by their chubby forms and vivid colouring, these dolls are said to have first been made in 1882 by Harada Kamejirō, a doll-maker from Hakata (Fukuoka prefecture) based in the Yumino district of Takeo City.
First presented as Sekku dolls, they were well-received by locals, and would go on to become a major regional product. Yumino dolls were often displayed at Dolls’ Festivals in Saga prefecture. Their popularity peaked around the middle of the Meiji period (1868–1912), and today there are very few businesses that continue to produce Yumino dolls.