Okiagari Roly-poly Doll - Ninja

Ninjas were mercenaries of the old times in Japan, especially in the XVth century. They used any kind of techniques in order to weaken their ennemy: espionage, sabotage, reconnaissance, guerrilla warfare... and any type of weapons such as swords, shuriken or throwing stars, poisons and bombs. Their nature was opposite to the one of the samurais. These mighty warriors were trained in martial arts and according to ancient legends, they had supernatural powers. Here is our team of 6 ninjas, all of them very kind indeed!

Okiagari-koboshi means "little monk who stands up". It is a traditional Japanese roly-poly doll made with papier-mâché. It is designed in such a way that it always returns to the vertical position, even if you try to tip it to one side. Okiagaris have been a part of Japanese children's toys for a long time. They were already mentioned in writings of the fourteenth century. During the Tokaichi or Tenth Day Market, customers drop a few dolls at a time and the ones that remain standing are said to bring good fortune.

Okiagaris symbolize perseverance and resistance in times of adversity. They remind this old Japanese proverb: “Fall seven times, stand up eight”. According to tradition, a doll is given to each person in the family plus one, in the hope that a baby will be born during the year.