KONOHA-ZARU, Horse-Riding Monkey

Description

• Please note that this is an old item, so some dust stains, age spots and scratches are part of the charm of old tools.
• Please note that it is sensitive to water.
• Please check the condition of used items with the pictures in advance. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact us before purchase.
• No returns after purchase. Please make your purchase after careful consideration.

Kino-ha Saru dolls are a traditional craft of Kumamoto Prefecture, made in Kino-ha, Tamato Town.
On New Year’s Day of the 7th year of the Yōrō era (723), an exile from the capital living in the village of “Konoha” (Tiger’s Tooth) received a revelation from an old man who appeared in his dream. Following this revelation, he enshrined the Kasuga Daimyōjin of Nara and crafted ritual vessels to be dedicated to the shrine using red clay from Mount Konoha.It is said that these figurines originated from a legend in which the leftover clay, once discarded, transformed into a monkey.
Kinoha Monkey figurines are simple earthenware dolls made by twisting clay with just the fingertips, without using molds, and then fired as unglazed pottery.Originally, they were unglazed and unpainted, but over time they came to be decorated with a speckled pattern of white, red, and ultramarine. Various styles exist—such as the “Dango-saru” (Dumpling Monkey), “Kodakara-saru” (Monkey Holding a Child), and “Iikui-saru” (Meal-Eating Monkey)—making them truly unique.
They continue to be cherished as talismans to ward off illness and misfortune and to ensure the prosperity of future generations.