Edo Hariko [Restoration] Original Hariko by Koushi Kawahara "Red Owl to Ward Off Smallpox" Parent and Child Made by Ryo Arai, Kawagoe Hariko Artist ■Product Introduction■ This is a red owl of Edo Hariko, recently restored by sculptor Ryo Arai. It is said that when the Koushi Kawahara family, famous for Edo Hariko, was burned out in an air raid and moved from Asakusa to Kamakura, they remade the hariko molds, which Mr. Arai received in the early Heisei era and began to produce. The "Red Owl to Ward Off Smallpox" was a popular gift in Edo, where smallpox (variola) was once rampant, just like Daruma dolls. It is said that the red color and the fact that it is an owl each had a deep meaning. For more information, please refer to the page where Ms. Orime Ozaki, a curator at the Japan Toy Museum in Himeji City, carefully explains Mr. Arai's red owl as an example. ■Reference: Red Owl to Ward Off Smallpox, Japan Toy Museum, Toy of the Month, April 2020 By the way, Ryo Arai is a sculptor famous for having his works used on the cover of the new cover version of Natsuhiko Kyogoku's "Kyogokudo Hyakki Yako Series" (Kodansha), which was recently published. Those works are very eerie and fascinate viewers, but these owls have a warm and lovely design. I have had the opportunity to see other red owls, including old ones, but Mr. Arai's red owls have carefully drawn patterns and beautiful shapes, making them very good works. Made in the 2000s (Heisei era), it is not that old, but it is a restoration work based on an old mold, so it is an item that folk toy collectors should definitely own (it seems that production has stopped at present). ■Size■ Large: Height approx. 10.5cm Small: Height approx. 6.5cm ■Condition■ There are no noticeable scratches or stains, but there are some minor scuffs, stains, and paint peeling. Please consider purchasing only if you understand that this is a vintage, used, and home-stored item. To avoid trouble, please refrain from purchasing if you are nervous or seeking a perfect item. Folk Toys Folk Crafts Hariko Edo Hariko Kawagoe Hariko Owl Owl Old Toys Old Toys Toys Evil Warding