Obake no Kinta - [Folktoy]

• History: When Kumamoto Caste was constructed during the 1600s, there was a popular foot soldier who was quite good at making people laugh. - He was nick-named “Odoke no Kinta” meaning “Funny Kinta.” Much later, around the mid 1850s the famous puppeteer Hikoshichi Nishijinya (西陣屋彦七) created a pull string karakuri doll with lolling eyes and tongue based on this legend & because of the spooky appearance, Kinta came to be called “Obake no Kinta” meaning “Spooky Kinta.” to this day, these dolls are still hand crafted and passed down from father to son by the Atsuga family! You can read more about it here & you can watch them craft one here. the most important bit is the bamboo spring which allows the eyes & tongue to move - No particular ghost stories or legends that i can find surrounding the doll apart from the " reason why it was made."  (At least that I’m aware of..) - They come in many sizes from small to HUGE! \

(i want those socks!!)

( Recently my friend rescued one from a Vancouver thrift store, I'm super jealous, and so, I drew this sticker to fill the kinta shaped hole in my heart.)

Art sticker by @SamKalensky (yo, thats me!) - Part of my Yokai & Japanese folklore collection, follow and support for more!