A charming vintage Nakayama Ningyō (中山人形) dorei clay bell from Akita Prefecture, depicting Oshin (おしん), the beloved heroine of the famous Japanese television drama.
The piece portrays Oshin carrying a child on her back, wrapped together in a bright blue garment decorated with simple white flowers. Their gentle expressions, rounded form, and vivid hand-painted colours give the bell a wonderfully warm and nostalgic character. A red braided cord is attached at the top, while the opening at the side allows the clay pellet inside to produce the characteristic soft sound of a dorei (土鈴).
Nakayama Ningyō is a traditional style of clay folk toy associated with Yokote in Akita Prefecture. The tradition is particularly recognizable for its cheerful use of strong colours and expressive, approachable forms, with subjects ranging from zodiac animals and traditional figures to scenes inspired by everyday life and popular culture.
This example is marked as a work by Akita Yamanaka (秋田山中) and is especially appealing for its depiction of Oshin, whose story of perseverance, hardship, family and resilience became deeply familiar to generations of Japanese viewers.
Both a regional folk craft and a piece of Shōwa-era popular culture, this unusual dorei beautifully connects the traditional world of Japanese clay toys with one of Japan’s most memorable cultural characters.
