Boy's day dolls in a Supermarket

Those dolls are called "Gogatsu Ningyo".
Those are doll for boy's day(boy's festival).
It is on May 5th.
But boy's day dolls have already been displayed in a supermarket.

Peko-chan as Chef

Do you remember her?
Peko-chan is a mascot of fujiya that is sweets maker in Japan.
She has already appeared in this blog.

Peko-chan .
Peko-chan as fashionable dresser.
Peko-chan with Kimono .
Peko-chan as Santa Claus.


And this time, she became a chef.
I wonder what she cook.

I took this photo in front of a fujiya restaurant

Hina Ningyo

March 3rd is girl's day in Japan.
We call it "Hinamatsuri" or "Momo no sekku".
It is an event to celebrate in hope of growth of girl in healthy.
On that day families who have girl set dolls called "hina ningyo" in their house.
Those dolls are in court dress of the heian era.
In the photo above, Emperor and Empress are on the top platform.
Three attendant ladies are on the second platform.

Chirimen cat doll

These cat dolls are Chirimen craft.
Chirimen is Japanese crepe.
Originally, Chirimen craft was made of small pieces of Chirimen fabric which were remained when they had made Kimono.
Chirimen craft is one of traditional Japanese craft.
But I think the design of these cat dolls is modern.
I took this photo in front of funabashi raile way station.

There are various kind of Chirimen craft in Japan, I will show you those pretty craft in this blog!!

Peko-chan

Peko-chan is a well known mascot of Fujiya that is sweets maker and also manege restaurant chain.
Photo above is a Peko-chan doll which is standing display in front of Fujiya restaurant.

She was born in 1950, but she is 6 years old eternity.
I've heard that she seems to like to play baseball and hopping ( pogo stick ).

Hello kitty wearing Kimono

Hello kitty is a character designed by Japanese company Sanrio.
She was born in 1974.
She is still very popular in Japan.
And I think kity is one of most Kawaii character of Japan.
I took this photo in Funabashi railway station(JR).

Maneki neko

"Maneki neko " means good- luck-beckoning cat.

The cat raising right paw bring money to the owner, raising left paw bring customers to the owner.

they are usually placed in shops, or in showcases of shops.

but rarely placed out of shops, like second photo.

I think they are so lovely.

There are various type of manekineko in Japan, I will show you interesting manekineko in this blog!!

Gogatsu Ningyo

" Gogatsu" means May, "Ningyo" means doll.
May 5 is japanease national holiday as children's day.
But originaly, it was Boy's Festival for celevletion boy's growing. ( girl's festival is March 3 .)
On this day, families who have little boy, set a doll in their house.
These photos are miniature replica headpice and armor of Samurai.
It is a kind of "Gogatsu Ningyo".

In the first photo, that headpice and armor are Date Masamune model.
Date Masamune was a samurai called "Dokugan Ryu" (one eyed doragon).