Bunka era (1804–1818) Donated by Saitō Shōji
During the Edo period, the Miharu domain in Fukushima prefecture was a major producer of papier-mâché products. These late Edo period dolls are a fine example. Miharu papier-mâché is said to have begun when the lord of the Miharu clan brought a dollmaker back to the region to teach farmers how to make papier-mâché.
The particular papier-mâché technique used here is known as soto bari or ‘outside pasting,’ involving multiple layers of paper pasted on a wooden mold. It enabled the creation of complex shapes and miniature accessories unattainable through the use of clay. These dolls are thought to have been influenced by the Tsutsumi clay dolls of Sendai.