Miharu's paier-mâche tiger

If you are well-travelled in northern Honshu, you have probably visited Sendai, Morioka and Aomori, and you may remember passing through the rather uninteresting city of Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture. What you may not have realized is that less than a half hour east of Koriyama is a true gem for lovers of folkcrafts, and people who just like being out in the country.

Four kilometers from the quiet village of Miharu is Deko-yashiki, collective name for five scattered farmhouses, in sight of one another, that function as workshops for the making of Miharu hariko ningyo, colorful papier-mache dolls.

Hashimoto hiroji in the final stage of paintin

Hashimoto Keiichi, the twentieth generation of the Honke Ebisuya workshop, his father and four assistants prepared since midsummer for the coming Year of the Dragon. First, they oiled the household's well-worn wooden molds that waited twelve years for their cyclical appearance. They then wet coarse, handmade washi and pressed it onto the molds.

Washi comes in various qualities, depending on how much the pulp of the paper mulberry bark is bleached, whether it is from the earlier dips of paper stock, and whether bits of bark are left in the stock. Lower quality washi, which is brownish and contains small particles of the bark, is ideal for pressing onto the molds. Several layers of this strong paper are pressed by hand onto the molds by veteran assistants.

Despite the balmy autumn weather, the large family kotatsu, a heater housed in a sunken section of the floor, is kept warm throughout the day. Once a mold is covered, it is briefly inserted in the kotatsu to dry the surface, which makes it easier to pop the damp paper off the mold so it can be used for the next piece. The partially dry piece is then placed in the sun to finish the drying process. If the day is sunny enough, one day may do the trick.

Masks of the seven gods of good fortune can each be created from single molds, but three-dimensional pieces such as courtiers on ox-back and dynamic dancing courtesans are made of pieces from several molds. These are glued together, given a white base coat, then moved to Keiichi's table, where he applies the vibrant colors.

Honke Ebisuya, a combined workshop and gift shop

The families who produce more than one hundred varieties of brightly colored figurines at Deko-yashiki are all surnamed Hashimoto. They trace their trade back to the seventeenth century, when the Tokugawa shogunate instituted the system of sankin kotai, which required the lords of all the domains to alternate residences, living one year in their domain and one year in Edo, so that the shogunate could keep tabs on their activities. As is true of many crafts in the provinces, the local lord invited makers of figurines from Edo to set up shop in Miharu and sell their products to the lords and retainers travelling to and from the capital.

The resident historian of this enclave is Hashimoto Hiroji, who explains, "Our ancestors didn't have a supply of good clay to work with to make clay figures, so they worked in reverse, creating wooden molds and placing on them the paper that was already available locally. The advantage of this is that we can produce lightness of movement that clay figures just cannot manage."

At the peak of the trade's history, there were some 30 households producing souvenirs for the passing daimyo retinues. Those who continue the tradition 250 years later are proud to tell you that they are equally craftspeople and farmers. Hashimoto Hiroji explains, "In the planting and harvesting seasons we close up shop. In the past, during hard times when we couldn't sell figurines, we never went hungry because we grew our own rice and vegetables. Farming is where our energy comes from, so working the land is essential for making hariko ningyo. This contact with nature flows through our bodies into the pieces that we make. No farming, no figurines."

Hashimoto Msae puts the final touches on a large daruma

The open-sided farmhouse is filled with wooden molds, stacks of coarse paper, and half-finished figures of dozens of shapes and colors. In a small building close by is his private museum, which he is happy to show to serious inquirers. Inside are molds which have been handed down for centuries, but are no longer in use. "We don't produce all of these now, but every year I try to bring a couple back to life. I visit museums and talk with collectors and try to find out what they may have looked like. If I get enough information, then I try out a series until I am satisfied that I've gotten close to the original."

The Miharu Daruma Festival is held on January 15. Early May allows you to enjoy the cherry blossoms along the way. The first Sunday in June is the Deko Matsuri featuring the Dance of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune and Hashimoto Hiroji in one of his comic masks portraying his alter ego hiyottoko, all with full drum accompaniment. In short, for an unhurried day in the country, Deko-yashiki makes a great day-trip from Tokyo almost any time of year. There is a place to eat lunch near the farmhouses, so you can take your time looking at each of the five houses.

Getting there
From Tokyo, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama. There is infrequent bus service from Koriyama to Ohira bus stop near Deko-yashiki, but your best bet is the train. Change to the Banetsuto line and it is less than 15 minutes to the town of Miharu. From there it is easiest to take a taxi to Deko-yashiki, located literally in the middle of rice fields. Plan ahead for your return by checking the bus schedule, enjoy the 45-minute walk back to Miharu station or have a cab called to come pick you up.

Miharu Tourist Information (in Japanese): 0247-62-2111.