In Japan, clockwork automata (karakuri ningyō) emerged in the 17th century, and were mainly sold to wealthy or important people who used them to impress guests. These little mechanical dolls have an ...

During Japan’s Edo period, which stretched from the early 17th century to the mid-1800s, wealthy families would buy Karakuri—little self operating dolls or toys that served tea and shot arrows. Here, ...

SPENCER — Noriko Gordon’s curiosity became more than she could bear after reading a 1997 article in a Japanese newspaper about the return of a doll from the United States to Japan. The doll was a part ...

The Yokohama Doll Museum in Kanagawa Prefecture is one of the largest doll museums in Japan. The museum’s collection showcases 1,300 dolls from 140 countries around the world, including traditional ...