Permanent Exhibitions

Saitama Prefecture is Japan’s largest producer of ningyo. This exhibition room introduces how ningyo are made, with a focus on ningyo from Iwatsuki. In addition to exhibitions of the tools and materials used in creating ningyo, ningyo made in Saitama, and reference materials, videos are screened of craftspersons making ningyo.

The museum owns many ningyo and related materials. One of its pillars is the ningyo collection assembled by the Nihonga (modern Japanese-style painting) artist Nishizawa Tekiho (1889–1965). His collection, which is known for its wide range and high quality, includes classic ningyo, folk toys, ningyo from other countries, and materials concerning ningyo shibai, a form of puppet opera.
Japan’s ningyo culture matured in the Edo period, when many types of ningyo emerged. In the 1930s, ningyo were recognized as an art, and a distinctively Japanese and highly diverse culture of ningyo developed. In this gallery, we present primarily classic ningyo from our collection.