🗺️ Saitama City Iwatsuki Doll Museum

Iwaduki, located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan's largest doll production area, has been renowned as a land of dolls since ancient times. Today, many artisans who create dolls still reside in the Iwaduki region. The Iwaduki Doll Museum, opened in 2020, aims to pass on the traditional culture and history of Japanese dolls to future generations. Dolls are one of Japan's traditional cultures. With the development of history, various festival dolls have emerged, forming a unique doll culture in Japan. The most representative of these is the "Hina Ningyo," displayed on the Hina Dan during the "Hinamatsuri" (Doll Festival). Hinamatsuri is celebrated every year on March 3rd, praying for the healthy growth of girls, a tradition that has continued since the Edo period (1603–1868). The permanent exhibition is mainly divided into two areas. One area showcases the tools and materials used in doll-making through visual displays, allowing visitors to appreciate the process and scenes of artisans creating dolls. English guidance is available during the visit. The other area features a collection of doll works gathered by Nishizawa Fumoto, a Japanese painter active from 1889 to 1965. Visitors can enjoy a variety of Japanese dolls at any time, including the "Hina Ningyo" for Hinamatsuri and various creative doll works. Currently, the Iwaduki Doll Museum houses 5,000 pieces of various doll treasures and regularly holds special exhibitions.

You can learn about the traditional doll-making craft that has been passed down in the Iwatsuki area since ancient times. You can visit historical dolls of significant value. The shop sells English version guidebooks. You can dine and experience the craft-making at the nearby "Iwatsuki Community Center" (Japanese: にぎわい交流館いわつき).