October 13, 2002
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Ningyoukuyo 10/2002
Here is another set of pictures from Meiji Shrine. Every year they have a "Doll Festival," during which people can bring unwanted dolls to be properly "put down." It seems there is a superstition that the dollies have a spirit that will come back to haunt you should you just chuck it into the trash. Here are the doomed dollies. Thank you and good-bye? Puleeuz!!
I did not see any Barbies to be burned, so there were no articles in the newspapers about a certain foreigner being taken away in handcuffs for attempted vintage Barbie doll rescue. I would have liked to have gotten more pictures (actually have more, but these are the edited best), but the individual who was kind enough to accompany me (Hub) had had enough and dragged me out. Maybe it was just as well, as I might have seen a Barbie.
Caught the Docomo Building on the back way out of the shrine!
Comments (4)
How sad...they could donate those dolls to children who do not have them...and then their spirits could live on.
I always see toys in a different light after watching, Toy Story. *smiles*
Wow....That's a lot of dolls! I like porcelain dolls, but I have never had one. Some of those dolls looked a little sinister....Wonder what is considered popular for dolls there? I would love a porcelain Japanese lady in a red kimono. Very pretty!
Hark! I see a mickey mouse! Or two...
I found the song that I was so hopelessly trying to describe to you. Here are the lyrics and the artist. If you want to hear a short clip it it can be found on http://www.air1.com , click on 'music' and then 'air 1 hits'. I think it's #4 or somethin'.
Brandon Heath - Give Me Your Eyes
From the album What If We
Look down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touch down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared
Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, He's buying time
Chorus
I’ve been here a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just move and pass me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
I need a second glance
Give me a second chance
To see the way you’ve seen the people all along
Chorus
Lyrics may not be reproduced without permission from the publisher.
@LifeNeedsProtection - Or sell them and donate to money to a worthy cause. I think that people were paying about $30 a head to have dollies put down. I know that some of the foreign tourists who visit the shrine would love to take some of these home.
@SoOffBase - The main play doll is "Jenny" or "Licca." Oh, don't get me started... Jenny used to be Barbie because Mattel had rented the name out to the Japanese toy maker. Barbie did not sell well because Japanese moms did not think that she was a suitable toy for um, two reasons. The Japanese version ov Barbie had bigger eyes and smaller, um, you know. Licca is a bit younger than Jenny, around 12 or so.
There are also other dolls that are merely decorative or ceremonial. We have a set of 15 "Doll Festival" dolls up in Tokyo. I was in Fukuoka, so I could not get them out this year. They are displayed after the New Year and left out until March 3, after which if you don't put them away the daughters in the families will be old maids.
@Kaysera - Thanks for the song! So true!
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