Folk Toy Whistle - Dove
尾崎人形 鳩笛
A handmade clay dove figurine from Saga Prefecture, that functions as a whistle.
The craft of Osaki ningyō or Osaki dolls, dates to the 13th century and the the Mongolian invasion of Japan. Osaki dolls are said to have been made by Mongolian settlers who made their home in the Osaki district of Kanzaki City in Saga Prefecture. As the clay soil had qualities well suited to pottery, whistles and figurines were moulded out of clay in the shape of birds and zodiac animals. The dolls are all made by hand using moulds to create two halves which are then joined together. Once the two parts have been attached, the surface and seams are smoothed out, and two holes are pierced into the soft clay body to create the opening for the whistle. It is then fired at 800C for six hours and finished with a coat of white paint. Often, primary colours of red, blue and yellow are used to paint colourful markings on the dolls.
One of the most popular Osaki dolls is the dove whistle. A charming detail distinguishing it from other clay whistles is that the dove’s head is slightly turned to face the viewer. This dove whistle is available in two sizes of medium and large.
The paint is not waterproof.
As each piece is handmade, each piece is slightly different.
Size Large : W15×D7×H11.5cm
Size Medium : W6cm×D11.5cm×H9cm
Kyūshū and Okinawa
This is Japan’s south-west region including the island of Kyūshū and the sub-tropical island chain of Okinawa. Kyūshū was an early centre of Japanese civilization, and offers many historic treasures, modern cities and volcanic natural beauty. It is home to the ports of Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Fukuoka, the porcelain manufacturing centre in Arita and the Tanegashima Space Center launch site.
