Japanese Culture Dolls

By Emma Moffitt         

    My great grandmother Michiko was the first person to have these wooden dolls in my family. The dolls are used on girls day in Japan. It traveled from Japan to New York, back to Japan, then back to New York. My grandmother Takako had it next, my mom Shino told me she was a great mom to her and she would of loved me, but she died from cancer. Then my mom Shino had it with my aunt Akane. Akane said “Where are the rest of the dolls!? Where are the rest of the stuff!?” Because traditionally the dolls are fancier, have some sort of red carpet as a background a lamp post, and signs written in Japanese. Then I, Emma have the dolls now. I know the dolls are not toys. I put them up for girls day and celebrate!!!     

     My family heirloom is a part of Japanese culture, wooden dolls used on girls day. The princess is a wooden doll, she has red lips and a white face, she has a couple of designs on her clothing. The prince is also a wooden doll, he has red lips, a white face, a weird hat on, and more designs on his clothing than the princess. The princess is skinny and the prince is fat. Girls day is a day when you celebrate girls. If someone is sick, you make 1,000 origami planes.     

     Me, Emma have the dolls now, my mom Shino taught me some stuff and what to do with the dolls, the dolls are not toys to play with, the dolls are decorations for girls day. When I got them, it made me cry tears of joy because when Shino gave them to me I thought “She really gave this to me, wow!” Without the dolls, I wouldn’t be my half-Asian half-American inner self. 

– EM

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more