Torimingei exhibition sales

 

Torimingei exhibition sales

2025.10.3(Fri) - 10.13(Mon)

As the number of days with cool breezes increases, we begin to feel the change of seasons. It may seem obvious, but summer is really coming to an end.

Are you all doing well?

This may seem like a standard greeting, but I am truly concerned. Because, I have to admit, I am an expert at getting sick when the seasons change. It's still hot, so I should probably set the air conditioner to this temperature and go to bed. It looks like it's going to get cold tonight, so I'll wear long sleeves to bed. I'm being especially careful around this time of year. And I always make the wrong choice. Simple yet difficult...that's life. 

Whenever I get sick, I always think that health is the most important thing. That's all there is to it. This time, we would like to introduce you to an event that will gently support your healthy daily life.

 

For 11 days from Friday , October 3rd to Monday, October 13th , Tori Mingei will be holding an exhibition and sale of Okiagari Koboshi and Akabeko dolls.

Tori Mingei is a folk art group that creates products based on folk art, trimmed to suit current lifestyles and moods. The Okiagari Koboshi ( NEOKIAGARI small hat) and Akabeko (Sleeping Beko) dolls being sold this time have been made by the artisans of Nozawa Folk Crafts through the filter of Tori Mingei.

Nozawa Mingei is one of the few workshops that can carry out the Aizu tradition of making wooden molds and painting in its entirety.

They are made using a technique called vacuum forming, which involves creating wooden molds, and the process of dissolving recycled paper in an aquarium and then cutting it into papier-mâché is unique to Nozawa Folk Crafts.

After drying, craftsmen remove burrs by hand, polish each piece with a grinder, and then shape it. This is what gives the piece its smooth curves when it is finished.

To prevent the paper from fraying and the paint from seeping in, flour is mixed with glue and water and applied by hand. After drying, crushed shell paste is applied to the surface and left to dry for a day to give the paper mache its unique hardness.

This is the process of applying paint and spraying it onto the paper mache.

The modern method of using an airbrush results in a more even and beautiful finish than hand-dyed ones. The red of the Akabeko was originally the red of lacquer, but since lacquer is no longer available, a red paint similar to lacquer is used.

The moment when the craftsman uses paint to paint patterns one by one with a paintbrush, breathing life into the papier-mâché.

Aizu Hariko, which has been around for about 400 years, is said to have originated as a winter side job for commoners and lower-ranking warriors. Both the Okiagari Koboshi and Akabeko are traditional toys that have been passed down for generations in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, and have been popular as lucky charms.

The Okiagari Koboshi doll is said to be a symbol of "tenacity" and "health" due to its spirit of "falling down seven times and getting up quickly" even after being knocked down, and is said to be filled with wishes for people to always be able to work energetically, and for their families and wealth to increase.
As the name suggests, the NEOKIAGARI koboshi is a pun on the characters for koboshi (small priest) and koboshi (small hat).
It's fun to think about which hat to put on them.

Akabeko is a toy made to help children grow up healthy and strong. Red is also considered a color that wards off evil spirits, and Akabeko have been popular with people of all ages and genders since ancient times. The shape and pattern vary from workshop to workshop, and Nozawa Folk Crafts' Akabeko are characterized by two large spots and a rounded shape. The doll is filled with the wish that the cat will stay healthy and be happy, and the two large spots represent chickenpox scars, while the horizontal line on the back represents longevity. Akabeko is the guardian deity of children and a green ornament.

Nembeko is characterized by its sleepy eyes.
Akabeko are known for their characteristic swaying heads, but their eyes were just glassy, ​​so I realized that they were probably just dozing off because they were sleepy.

"Trimming folk art" is a product that is truly typical of Tori Mingei.

Usually, the eyes that determine the expression are stamped to ensure there are no individual differences between them, but these eyes are all hand-drawn by a limited number of craftsmen. It's fun to choose the eyes while thinking, "This one looks really sleepy..."

This is a mochabeko created with the concept of "a beko that everyone will love, just like our beloved cafe mocha."

It has a modern feel and blends into your lifestyle, so just placing it in a wood-grain interior is sure to bring a sense of relaxation.

A message from Tori Mingei reads, "Since COVID-19, we have not been doing wholesale and have been selling mostly by mail order from the Tokyo area, so it has been a long time since you have been able to see the actual products, and we are very happy."

This lucky charm has been passed down since ancient times, with people always wishing for the health of others.

Please take this opportunity to see the finished folk crafts through Tori Mingei's filter.

 

 

【 INFORMATION 】

Torimingei exhibition sales

＊ DATE 2025. 10.3 (Fri ) - 10.13 (Mon ) / 12:00 ~ 19:00

＊ LOCATION Nine Tailor shop

1-18-14 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0042 1F