Place of origin: Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Donated by Shikano Ichio
Fushimi clay dolls were likely first made during the early decades of the Edo period (1603–1868) in the Fukakusa area in front of Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. Originally, they were viewed as everyday objects and children’s toys, usually representing characters from legends or folklore, Shinto deities, and so forth.
Their popularity peaked during the latter half of the Edo period, when they were produced en masse as local souvenirs, and subsequently spread all over Japan. Having directly and indirectly influenced toys and clay dolls in many other regions, Fushimi dolls are regarded as the origin of Japanese clay dolls.