Blog

In this series, MOIFA's docents explore our collections online and select a favorite piece to share with you. This week, Carolyn Culhane discusses Japan's Kokeshi tradition of handcrafted wooden dolls, as seen in the Girard Foundation Collection.
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Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and comical. Yokai generally refers to demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, and “strange” and supernatural beings. Specific creatures are commonly associated with classical literature, folklore, theatrical performances, festivals, art, and other forms of expressive culture. Yokai are also prevalent in contemporary Japanese popular culture; you find them in manga (comics), anime (animation), and character-based games such as Pokémon (“pocket monster”).
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