Hakata clay dolls of the mermaid-like yokai monster called amabie, created by craftsperson Moshiro Tobata, are growing in popularity as an item that can give people hope the new coronavirus will soon end.
In the folklore, amabie is said to have appeared in the sea off Higo (now Kumamoto Prefecture) in the Edo period (1603-1868) and made a prophecy about a plague. The yokai currently has gone viral on social media as an item that can help prevent epidemics from spreading.
Tobata, 72, and from Nakagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, began making the yokai dolls earlier April, hoping his creation could help people feel better. The handmade doll, which is 8 centimeters tall and 6 centimeters wide, is tinted yellow and blue on its scales, and its hair is painted in reddish color.
Gatou Inc., an arts and crafts retailer in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, sells the dolls. The company said it has already received more than 300 orders. The doll costs 2,200 yen (tax included) with a stand. Part of sales will be donated to support measures against the coronavirus through Tokyo-based public interest corporation, Save the Children Japan.
"I haven't been able to see my grandchildren, who are living in my neighborhood," Tobata said.
"It's sad, but I make these dolls to pray for the day when people around the world can happily meet up with one another again."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
