Stuffed Folk Toy Set – Zodiac Animals

A set of 12 hand-sewn zodiac folk toys, made in Hida-Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, using woodblock-printed fabric.

£240 per item

Hida-Takayama is a centre of wooden furniture production in Japan. Manufacturing produces scrap wood, but to avoid waste some scrap is made into printing blocks. Woodblock is a printing method adopted in Japan from the Asian continent during the Edo-period (1603-1868 CE) for printing on paper and canvas to make books, prints and decorations. Individual blocks are carved to print each colour of the design onto cotton fabric. Once multiple blocks have been applied the colours are set with steam. The toys are then filled with rice hulls, a by-product of rice milling. The animals in this set each represent one of the 12 signs of the Japanese astrological zodiac. Japan follows a 12-year astrological cycle, where each year is represented by a different animal, whose attributes are sometimes said to be inherited by the individuals born in that particular year. 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit.

Avoid moisture and open flames.

Size:

Mouse: L8 cm x W4.5 cm x H5 cm
Cow: L10.5 cm x W5 cm x H6 cm
Tiger: L6 cm x W4.7 cm x H7 cm
Rabbit: L8 cm x W4.5 cm x H5 cm
Dragon: L9 cm x W4 cm x H7 cm
Snake: L7 cm x W4.5 cm x H7 cm
Horse: L9 cm x W4 cm x H8 cm
Sheep: L8.5 cm x W4.5 cm x H5.5 cm
Monkey: L6 cm x W4.5 cm x H7 cm
Bird: L7 cm x W4 cm x H6 cm
Dog: L9 cm x W4.5 cm x H5 cm
Wild boar: L8.5 cm W4.5 cm x H4.5 cm

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Chūbu
Region

Chūbu

中部

The central Chūbu region is predominantly mountainous, home to the rugged Japan Alps with coasts on both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The region's history has been shaped by its strategic position between the great cities of Kyoto and Tokyo with Nagoya at its heart. Niigata lies to the north while Mt Fuji can be found in the south in Shizuoka Prefecture.

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Craft
Department

Craft

クラフト

Select from a collection of crafted items by some of Japan’s most talented craftspeople including Edo kiriko cut-glass, Bizen pottery, Nambu ironware and wooden bento boxes.

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