Hōreki era (1751–1764) Donated by Saitō Shōji
These dolls were made with the kimekomi technique, which involves sculpting wood or clay, then carving grooves––the folds and wrinkles of the kimono––into the base, and tucking the fabric into these grooves. Typically small in size, extraordinarily small and detailed examples are known as ‘keshi kimekomi’ or ‘poppy seed’ dolls. They are thought to illustrate a Japanese predilection for small, delicate items.