Kaga Hachiman Okiagari Ningyo (Paper Mache Doll) - Nakajima Menya, Kanazawa, Ishikawa A lucky charm with the meaning of "seven falls, eight rises," the Kaga Hachiman Okiagari is a traditional craft from Kanazawa. It originated from prayers for the healthy growth and happiness of children, and is famous for its adorable appearance featuring pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms. This item was purchased in Kanazawa about 30 years ago. The design seems slightly different from the dolls currently sold. 【Size】 ● Doll (largest dimensions): (Width) approx. 9.5cm x (Depth) approx. 9.5cm x (Height) approx. 11cm ● Zabuton (cushion): (Length) approx. 10cm x (Width) approx. 12cm 【Features】 In the past, when the Hachiman Shrine, the only shrine in the Kaga region, was located there, a virtuous old man living in front of the shrine made these "Kaga Hachiman Okiagari" dolls for children, modeled after the swaddling clothes of the deity Hachiman (Emperor Ojin), wrapped in crimson brocade at his birth, and prayed for their healthy growth and happiness. The dolls are made by pasting Japanese paper onto a mold, applying gofun (white pigment), and vermilion, and then painting them with adorable designs of pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms. They were selected as the design for the New Year's commemorative stamp in 1955.