NOMURA Co., Ltd.
The driving force behind the leap forward
The charm of “Chrysanthemum dolls”
rediscover

Relationship between NOMURA Co., Ltd. and Kiku Ningyo

The Japanese flower that represents autumn is the chrysanthemum.
Although their main demand is for Buddhist flowers and flower offerings, they have become available in a variety of colors and shapes through selective breeding, and are being promoted by florists, adding color to our lives as interior decorations and as gifts.

Do you know about the traditional Japanese crafts called ``Chrysanthemum dolls'' that are made using chrysanthemums?
And have you seen it?

``Chrysanthemum dolls'' are ``crafted items made by combining doll costumes with fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves,'' which have been around since the Edo period.
Chrysanthemum dolls have a history of over 300 years, dating back to the Edo period. In fact, it is the driving force behind NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's leap forward. Yasushi Nomura, the founder of NOMURA Co., Ltd. Kogeisha, achieved great success by producing chrysanthemum dolls, which were popular as entertainment for the public during the Taisho era, using large-scale equipment and tricks. Click here for details

The company that inherited this technology is "Nokikusha", which was established in 1966 as the chrysanthemum doll specialty division of NOMURA Co., Ltd.. The fourth generation, Mr. Hiroyasu Tsuji, is currently the company's president.

Chrysanthemum dolls have been enjoyed by families and people who love plants as autumn performances all over Japan, but in today's world where entertainment is becoming more and more diverse, creating demand and passing on production techniques has become an issue. . In order to look back on the origins of our company's founding and explore the possibilities of chrysanthemum dolls suitable for the Reiwa era, we will welcome Mr. Hideaki Tsuji, Managing Director of Nogikusha, and will exhibit chrysanthemum dolls at NOMURA Co., Ltd. Kogeisha in July 2023. We held an event.

Mr. Hideaki Tsuji
Born in 1975 in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts' Master's Course in Sculpture.
As the son of the 4th generation president, Hiroyasu Tsuji, he is carrying the future of Kiku Dolls and traveling around the country.

 

[Event Overview]

① History and company history talk about chrysanthemum dolls & chrysanthemum attachment demonstration
Moderator:
NOMURA Co., Ltd. Corporate Planning Department Manager Goro Kato, Creative Headquarters Planner Yuki Shimokuni
Guest: Nogikusha Hideaki Tsuji

②Chrysanthemum making experience workshop “Chrysanthemum ball making”

③ “Furumai Table” provides food related to chrysanthemums
Provision of chrysanthemum sweets ``Chrysanthemum tarts'' from Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, which is associated with chrysanthemum dolls, fresh tea from various places, and sake from Nihonmatsu City (you can experience Kikumi sake by adding chrysanthemum petals to the sake)

In this article, we will focus on the main event, the history of chrysanthemum dolls, a talk on the history of the company, and a demonstration of chrysanthemum attachment.

History and company history talk about chrysanthemum dolls and chrysanthemum attachment demonstration

Kato from NOMURA Co., Ltd., who served as the moderator, explained the history of NOMURA Co., Ltd. and the Kiku Dolls introduced at the beginning of this article, and then we heard Mr. Tsuji's story.

From left in the photo: NOMURA Co., Ltd. Shimokuni Kato, Nokikusha Tsuji.

Kato
Mr. Tsuji, please briefly introduce yourself.

Mr. Tsuji
This is Tsuji from Nogikusha. I work as a chrysanthemum artist mainly in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, which is famous for the "Nihonmatsu Chrysanthemum Ningyo" held every year from mid-October to mid-November. In addition, chrysanthemums are planted at Yushima Tenjin in Tokyo. His nickname is "Chrysanthemum Uncle". Since the chrysanthemum dolls are made from living plants, they not only have to be placed there, but they also come with maintenance such as daily watering on site and changing their clothes once every 10 days, so they can be enjoyed by visitors as well. I try to plant chrysanthemums while communicating.

Through this event, I would like to exchange opinions with everyone at NOMURA Co., Ltd. and explore the possibilities of new chrysanthemum dolls.

Kato
Next, Mr. Shimokuni, who is dressed in beautiful Japanese clothing, please introduce yourself.

Lower country
My name is Shimokuni and I am a planner at NOMURA Co., Ltd.. About five years ago, I was involved in a project called "Chrysanthemum Town Nihonmatsu Branding" by Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. (Click here for details)
Today, in order to introduce you to a new way to show off chrysanthemum dolls, which I will introduce later, I had my Japanese hair tied up with my own natural hair, and I wore a yukata (Japanese kimono) instead! Thank you for your continued support today.

Kato
Well, have you all taken a look at the chrysanthemum dolls displayed outside the venue? The general season for chrysanthemum dolls is autumn, but for this event, we had them make original chrysanthemum dolls.

Mr. Tsuji
This time's chrysanthemum dolls are made from chrysanthemums grown by Muto Gardening, a flower farmer in Nihonmatsu City.

At Muto Gardening cultivation house

Lower country
I have visited the site before, but there are greenhouses and fields where various cut flowers such as chrysanthemums are grown on the vast grounds, and part of it is called Muto Flower Park. It was open to the public as a ``Scenery'' and it was a wonderful place with a wonderful view.

Kato
Even today, there are few areas that still hold exhibitions of chrysanthemum dolls, and one of the most famous is Nihonmatsu City. They exhibit them and also produce chrysanthemums. The connection with the production area is an important point for Kiku Dolls. Now, let's talk about how chrysanthemum dolls are made.

Mr. Tsuji
​To briefly explain the process of making a chrysanthemum doll, it is as follows: drawing a picture of the doll → wrapping straw and cypress leaves around a mesh-like skeleton made of bamboo to create a base called a ``trunk shell'' → setting it up on site → creating a ``trunk'' Decorate the shells with fresh chrysanthemums (add a ball-shaped oasis of chrysanthemum roots wrapped around sphagnum moss to replenish hydration) → Maintenance will include daily watering and replacing withered parts.​
When decorating with chrysanthemums, fill in the gaps so that the green cypress leaves underneath are covered.

Lower country
This time, we first discussed with Mr. Tsuji, ``What kind of chrysanthemum dolls are commonly seen?'' and ``Which parts should be traditional and which should be innovative in terms of charm?''
Mr. Kato, the producer of this event, had a wish: ``First of all, I want the employees of NOMURA Co., Ltd. to learn about traditional chrysanthemum dolls.''
However, there is no trick to putting up chrysanthemum dolls that can be seen everywhere. Let's take this opportunity to create a unique chrysanthemum doll while preserving tradition! The conversation was concluded.
I, who has some experience in how to make chrysanthemums look appealing, and Mr. Ichikawa, who is also active as a Sogetsu style flower arranger in his private life, discussed the direction of the design, conveyed our image to Mr. Tsuji, and drew a rough sketch. I received it. Let me explain to you the process by which the sketches were created.

Lower country
The theme of this exhibition is ``Kai Chrysanthemum Doll''.
Having been involved with chrysanthemum dolls so far, I have found three problems with general chrysanthemum doll exhibitions.

Kato
On the other hand, many NOMURA Co., Ltd. employees were seeing chrysanthemum dolls for the first time, so we wanted them to get to know the traditional chrysanthemum dolls first. I guess it's different to give it a modern look...

Lower country
That's right. So, while looking back at the history of dolls and mannequins, we thought about how we could make them look traditional but also attractive to modern people, and we thought we could extract some key points and come up with new poses. I asked Mr. Tsuji for some advice.

 
Exploring various poses...

Also, instead of using the action drama (a scene from a story) that is often used as a model for making chrysanthemum dolls, one thing to consider is to look at the way fashion models pose for the camera, which is familiar to modern people. The other idea was to make the chrysanthemums that represent the hem of the costume so long that they flowed to the floor, giving them a sense of spaciousness at the feet, similar to a bride's long veil.
In order to make the chrysanthemum doll last longer, there is a basin of water at its feet, but by hiding it, we created a stage where it feels less like ``I put it here'' and gently approaches the viewer.

After a meeting, this sketch was born.

Sketch by Tsuji

Lower country
Her back has a beautiful nape and her gaze tends to be downcast. Half of her face is hidden by a fan.
The head itself is a chalk-painted doll's head made using traditional methods, and when you look into the doll's face, you can see its beautiful eyes and the glossy red color.

Mr. Tsuji
Actually, it's a stylish expression to say that a good face is hidden!

The face, or head, of a chrysanthemum doll, along with its limbs, is created by a craftsman called a ``doll maker.''
In consideration of durability during outdoor exhibitions, these days they are often made of FRP, but traditional heads are made of paulownia wood, sawdust, and funoori, and finished with chalk coating. Her eyes are glass and her hair is human hair. This time, I used this traditional head with a facelift.

The head of the traditional chrysanthemum doll used in this exhibition

Kato
Now is the time to demonstrate chrysanthemum attachment, which is the main part of a chrysanthemum master's job. Today, I will show you the first task, which is adding chrysanthemums to the collar.

Mr. Tsuji
The base is the torso pattern. A humanoid doll is made by using 36 to 50 ``Makiwara'' (about 7 pieces of straw wrapped around a 2mm x 160cm bamboo strip of Madake or light bamboo) and securing them with octopus thread. The presence of "makiwara" allows for flexible movement.
So you can change the pose later.
Add a base plant here to retain water and improve the color development of the chrysanthemums. Cypresses, Konotegashiwa, and in the Kansai region, Kaizukaibuki are used. The rushes are soaked in water (“soaked and softened” in Tohoku dialect) and tied up. Then add chrysanthemums.
You will have to tie the rushes about 1,000 times in total until it is completed.

Lower country
How many days does it take to make one?

Mr. Tsuji
The seated statue used in today's demonstration lasts about a day and a half. Once it starts to stiffen, it takes 2-3 days (lol)

Kato
What kind of people do you work with to make chrysanthemums in Nihonmatsu?

Mr. Tsuji
Originally, all the chrysanthemum farmers were men, but now local women who are skilled at handling plants and are skilled at handling plants are playing an active role in daily farming.

Lower country
The female chrysanthemum masters in Nihonmatsu are very friendly and talk to customers while planting chrysanthemums.
Next is the chrysanthemum work! A small chrysanthemum with roots has appeared.

Mr. Tsuji
Pull the chrysanthemums from the field and wash the roots. Wet the roots of the sphagnum moss with water and wrap it in straw to form a ball. This is called root wrapping.
After wrapping the roots, it's time to attach the chrysanthemum. Once you have decided where to attach it, tie it with rushes. The flexibility of the stems differs depending on the type of chrysanthemum, so check each chrysanthemum one by one as you attach them.

Lower country
How many chrysanthemums can you put on one body?

Mr. Tsuji
The number ranges from 500 pieces to as many as 800 pieces. Please also take a look at the completed version of the "Mikaeri Bijin" chrysanthemum doll.

“Kai Chrysanthemum Doll” exhibition
- On the left is the sketch, and on the right is half the chrysanthemum attached so that the inside can be seen.

Kato
The finished product is wonderful, but when you see the actual process in front of your eyes, it's really a painstaking process and it takes a lot of guts to become a chrysanthemum maker. How long does it take to become a full-fledged person?

Mr. Tsuji
At first, I thought it would only take about three years, but when I started working on it, ten years flew by. Of course, it is necessary to acquire the skills over time, but I would also like to think about creating added value for chrysanthemum dolls with overflowing vitality, just like Yasushi Nomura once did.

Lower country
I agree. For this event, we first asked NOMURA Co., Ltd. employees to help them become familiar with chrysanthemum dolls and chrysanthemums, and we had them make a ``chrysanthemum ball that you can decorate at home'' as a trial experience of making chrysanthemums.

Members supporting the chrysanthemum ball making workshop also looked gorgeous in yukata.

Kato
I would like to continue working with Nogikusha to create new value for Kiku Dolls! Mr. Tsuji will be busy making chrysanthemum dolls all over the country this fall as well. I'll go see it!

After the event

We asked Mr. Tsuji of Nogikusha and Mr. Kato Shimokuni, who served as the moderator of the talk show, about what they learned through this event.

Mr. Tsuji
This is our first attempt at a summer exhibition. The classical face with jade eyes and human hair is hidden behind a fan, revealing the back.
My heart kept pounding as it was all new to me.
“Japaneseness” and “chrysanthemum dolls”. It seems like it still has the power to attract people.
Chrysanthemum dolls are deeply connected to the history of NOMURA Co., Ltd.. We will continue to strive to spread the word about our appeal, so we appreciate your continued support!

Kato
We are pleased to be able to introduce you to the chrysanthemum dolls that are the roots of our group. I was able to experience the beauty of a moment that takes time and effort to create, and the fragility of withering. In the future, I would like to spread the word about this wonderfulness to the world.

Lower country
It was a great honor to be able to design and direct how to present the traditional chrysanthemum doll itself. Cherry blossom viewing in April, Bon dance in Obon, chrysanthemum dolls in autumn...I hope that they will gradually develop and incorporate elements of "innovation" so that they can be passed down as one of Japan's traditional events. We also created a movie, so please take a look.

Although this was an in-house event, we felt that interest in the chrysanthemum dolls and chrysanthemums increased as employees asked many questions about chrysanthemum dolls and chrysanthemums after participating in the chrysanthemum attachment experience and viewing the exhibits. It was also impressive to see how the children looked so lively after touching the live plants.

NOMURA Co., Ltd. will continue to work on revitalizing chrysanthemum dolls. We aim to add new charm to chrysanthemum dolls, which have a long history and traditional Japanese beauty, so that as many people as possible can learn about and enjoy the technique of making chrysanthemum dolls. We also welcome inquiries regarding collaboration. Please continue to pay attention to the Reiwa Chrysanthemum Doll Project.

[Event planning and management] Goro Kato, Tomomi Okawa, Mai Sumida, Yuki Shimokuni, Ai Ichikawa
[nomlog article editing/partial writing] Yuki Shimokuni
[nomlog article writing] Ai Ichikawa

[Venue photos, location photos, video shooting/editing] Takahiro Honnami