Edo period (1603–1868)
Donated by Akino Yoko
These dolls represent Minamoto no Yoshitsune — known in his youth as Ushiwakamaru — and Princess Jōruri from the tragic fairy tale The Tale of Princess Jōruri.
According to the story, Ushiwakamaru came across the home of Princess Jōruri, the daughter of a chieftain in Mikawa Province (present-day Shizuoka Prefecture), on his way from Kyoto to Oshu to revive the Minamoto clan. Catching a glimpse of her beauty, he became entranced by the young maiden. He serenaded her that night, accompanying her koto-playing (Japanese zither) with a bamboo flute, and they fell in love.