A doll’s life is in its face; that’s where the soul of the doll resides. This is a long-held belief in Japan. Tsutsumi ningyo dolls, one of the most famous earthenware dolls in Japan, possess particularly fine and expressive features. Just as each person has a unique face, each doll too has its own expression. This week we spoke to Tsuyoshi Haga, the thirteenth generation maker of tsutsumi ningyo dolls at his workshop in Sendai.
Interveiw by Takafumi Suzuki
Translation by Claire Tanaka
First of all, could you tell me what the “Tsutsumi” in Tsutsumi Ningyo Dolls means?
Tsutsumi is the name of the place where this style of ceramic dolls originated. There used to be an irrigation pond here, and there was a sort of old-fashioned dam. And people used to call those ponds “tsutsumi.” So since it was the neighborhood with a pond, it was called Tsutsumi. You can see on this folding screen here how it used to look in those days - the house and my grandfather, Sashiro Haga.
Was it a doll specialty shop back then?
No, at that time it was a store that sold regular household items. We’d make anything out of earthenware. Plates, basins, pots, you name it. Any kind of flashy crockery, we made it all. If you look closely on the folding screen, I think you’ll find that it’s not only dolls, but there are some dishes in there too.
The fact that your shop was portrayed in an illustration on a folding screen really gives a sense of history, doesn’t it.
We inherited one of these screens. And the other one, I just happened upon it when I was in Kyoto one day. I was walking around an antique market with my wife, when suddenly she said, “This is the same folding screen as the one we have!” I took a look, and sure enough it was the same. And I felt that since we’d had such luck finding it, we just had to buy it. So buy it we did. That’s why we’ve got two folding screens now with the same print. Back then, we had the store and the main house, with a workshop in the back. The environment I work in, and the way I do my work, it’s very similar to the way it’s portrayed on the screen.
How do you do your work these days?
Well, first of all, I quit doing wholesale altogether, and I personally talk to each customer and take their order here in the shop, and we have old customers who come directly to the shop and buy from us. In my father’s era, he did wholesale to department stores and souvenir shops, but I wanted to be able to do the best work possible, so in the 1960’s I quit doing wholesale and completely changed the way I did my work.
It’s quite unique how you went from your father’s style of doing business back to doing it in your grandfather’s style. What kind of change happened then?
When the customers come, they sit down and they are able to watch my craftsmen at work, and they are able to see each other face-to-face. Under those conditions, it’s quite different. From the customer’s perspective, when they can see the craftsman’s face, after they’ve bought their goods and brought them home that becomes part of the memory for them. Personally, I go to other studios and buy dolls from the craftsmen there, so I know how it feels. From the maker’s perspective, we can see how the customer reacts to things and understand what they are thinking. It’s a very good opportunity.
You must feel a little nervous, watching the customer’s reactions.
Yes, but in this age where people have so many worries, the anxiety-ridden customers come and look at the dolls, and their faces light up, and I can see that they begin to relax, and that makes me happy. When the customers come to see the works, it’s a critical moment, the meeting of the craftsman’s hands and heart, and the customer’s eyes and heart. But you really shouldn’t let yourself get too tied up in what other people say about you. Whether you get praised to the heavens or kicked to the ground, you just have to be who you are.
People have always said that dolls have souls. Do you personally feel that they do?
Yes. I’m getting on in years, and I’ve definitely started to sense their souls. Most people understand traditional craft to be a high-level, exacting art passed down from the generations, but at the core, I don’t think that quite covers it. I think that the approach, the way of thinking, the frame of mind of the craftsman all contribute to the making of an object that has the power to move people’s hearts. So I believe that the reason why the dolls have souls is because of the loving care that goes into making them.
For regular people, wouldn’t you say that it’s easiest to sense a soul in the face of the doll?
That could be true. In my father’s generation, he had about ten craftsmen working for him, but he could never let another man paint the faces. With the face, even one tenth of a millimeter difference can cause the face to have a totally different expression. If you line up all the work I’ve done over the years, you can clearly see how my own personality has changed over time.
One tenth of a millimeter! You’ve got to have some serious brush control there.
As a professional, at the start of each day you’ve got to decide what kind of condition you’re in. If you make a brushstroke and think, today’s not my day, then you’ve got to stop right away and try to work out what is wrong and see what you can do to remedy it. If you don’t do that, you’ll ruin all the work you’ve done up to that point. This is something I learned from my father, the doll-making master. Personally, I feel I’ve still got things to learn. I’ve got to keep working on improving myself until I die. That’s why I keep my father’s words and deeds close to my heart while I work.
Now, finally, tell me what your hopes are for the future of Tsutsumi Ningyo dolls.
Earthenware dolls can last for a hundred to two hundred years if they’re cared for properly. During that time, they’ve got to meet lots of people and have a face that people don’t grow tired of. With that in mind, I’ve got to devote myself to staying creative with my work. I’m still working on what to do about a successor. I’ve got a son, but he’s off working, and it’s not like I don’t have anyone who wants to be an apprentice, but it will take more than ten years before they’re able to do everything. So for the time being, I just try to stay pure of heart and mind, and work at making the best dolls possible.
Tsutsumi Ningyo Seizojo
Tsutsumi-cho 3-30-20, Aoba-ku, Sendai City
Tsuyoshi Haga
Born in Tsutsumi-cho, Sendai, Miyagi, in 1941. Tsutsumi Ningyo Craftsman.
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PingMag MAKE is the sister site to PingMag. We use an interview format to put the spotlight on a wide range of people active in rural areas. We document the voices of these unknown heroes and broadcast them to the world. It’s the Japan-based magazine about people and making things, coming out once a week. We’re passing on the passion, ideas, skills, and life stories of people who are building today and exploring tomorrow: craftsmen, engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors. Stay tuned!
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I agree - dolls have souls, especially, 200 year old dolls. When I hold a very old china or earthenware doll in my hands, I think of the love and patience that went into the making of that doll,and of the equal love and affection of its previous owner or owners for that doll. Such dolls bring joy to a lot of people, and how marvelous that in Sendai, the making of such dolls continue to thrive! Bravo, Mr. Haga! May your tribe increase!
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