本小札、正絹黒糸縅
Gogatsu Ningyō are miniature suits of armor, helmets, and dolls displayed on May 5th for Tango no Sekku, a traditional Japanese celebration for boys. These decorations not only commemorate a boy’s birth but also symbolize wishes for his health, strength, resilience, and wisdom.
This May decoration is inspired by the helmet of Masamune Date, a renowned warlord of the Sengoku period who ruled the Tōhoku region from the late Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. It features a jet-black kabutobachi (helmet bowl), fukikaeshi (turned-back flaps), and shikoro (neck guard), along with a distinctive large, golden, crescent-shaped maedate (front crest).
Crafted using traditional techniques similar to those employed in real samurai helmets, the shikoro, which protects the back of the head and neck, is meticulously made by piercing holes into black lacquered plates and threading them together with black silk cords.
The helmet can be stored inside the hitsu (wooden storage box), which also serves as a display stand, making storage both easy and convenient.
This piece is the work of Tatsuhiro, a Sekku Ningyō Kōgeishi—an officially recognized master craftsman of traditional festival dolls.
12.6''W x 9.8''D x 16.9''H
