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January 23, 2005
By: Tammy Gray-Searles
Website: http://www.a1-in-toys.com
Imperial Doll Palace Forges an Amazing Friendship
While doll houses come with beautiful and intricate detail, and provide a
beautiful home or display for many dolls, some dolls just seem to belong in a palace.
As a tribute to our love of dolls, there have been doll palaces built all over the
world. Perhaps one of the most famous and interesting of these doll palaces is
located in Japan.
The Imperial Educational Museum, located in Tokyo, features an exquisite doll palace
surrounded by a highly detailed garden. Enclosed in a large glass case, it houses dolls
from Japan as well as American dolls. The Japanese dolls are shown playing hostess to the
American dolls, and the garden has a playground for the dolls. There are also dolls who
act as caretakers in the beautiful display.
Miss America, a blonde, blue-eyed doll, is sitting in the place of honor in
the doll palace, surrounded by her American friends who are also guests. The history
of the reason for Miss America’s visit is an interesting bit of doll history.
In 1927, Miss America and 48 of her friends, each representing a different state,
were sent to Japan as messengers of friendship. Their arrival was timed to coincide
with the Doll Festival celebrated in Japan. During the Doll Festival each household
with a young girl set up a doll palace complete with a prince and princess of the
Old Imperial family. The young girl holds a ceremony in the evening for her family
and friends, which is meant to teach her the art of entertaining guests.
Each year, new dolls and accessories are added to the Doll Festival display,
until the entire doll palace becomes a stunning display of historical character
dolls. The Doll Festival played an important part in the life of a young girl in
Japan.
When the American dolls arrived in Japan near the time of the Doll Festival,
they received an overwhelming reception. Hundreds of thousands of people attended
elaborate welcoming ceremonies for the dolls. Many of the dolls were placed in
beautiful doll palaces in a place of honor.
The Japanese people were so touched by the American dolls that they created the
doll palace exhibit in the Imperial Museum of Education. They also sent exquisitely
dressed Japanese friendship dolls to America as a way of thanking the American
children for their generosity in sending the American dolls. Unfortunately, many
of the friendship dolls were lost or destroyed during World War II, but the dolls
that survive today are a beautiful example of the friendship that was forged during
the Doll Festival.
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