Okiagari Roly-poly Doll - Kaguyahime Princess

Kaguyahime is one of the characters of the tenth century Japanese tale The Bamboo Cutter. Once upon a time there was a couple of elderly people who could not have children anymore. One day, while he was cutting bamboo sticks, the old man found a beautiful baby within a trunk. He and his wife called her Kaguyahime, the Shining Princess. From this moment on, the old man became extremely rich because every time he was cutting bamboo, there was gold in it. Kaguyahime became an extremely beautiful woman, but she rejected all her suitors. She eventually revealed that she belonged to the people of the moon and that she had to go back there forever.

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.