This plate from the Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (Kyōsen Omocha-shū) by Kawasaki Kyosen (1877–1942) gathers a small group of bird toys, among them a blue dove-whistle, hato-bue, and a pale white bird above. Clay and papier-mâché bird whistles were sold at shrines and fairs, small enough for a child's hand, and Kyosen recorded them among the regional playthings he spent his life collecting.
The sheet is omocha-e, the picture of toys, drawn from life and printed by woodblock. The blue dove is set in a clear flat colour against the open paper, the pale bird drawn in quiet line above, and a red seal placed at the side. The contour is calm and the colour soft, leaving the birds' simple shapes to carry the image.
On a wall the print is gentle and quiet. The small birds give a room a light, easy focus that settles in without demanding attention. It suits a child's room, a kitchen, or a quiet corner, and pairs naturally with pale wood and other folk-art prints . . . Read More >>
This plate from the Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (Kyōsen Omocha-shū) by Kawasaki Kyosen (1877–1942) gathers a small group of bird toys, among them a blue dove-whistle, hato-bue, and a pale white bird above. Clay and papier-mâché bird whistles were sold at shrines and fairs, small enough for a child's hand, and Kyosen recorded them among the regional playthings he spent his life collecting.
The sheet is omocha-e, the picture of toys, drawn from life and printed by woodblock. The blue dove is set in a clear flat colour against the open paper, the pale bird drawn in quiet line above, and a red seal placed at the side. The contour is calm and the colour soft, leaving the birds' simple shapes to carry the image.
On a wall the print is gentle and quiet. The small birds give a room a light, easy focus that settles in without demanding attention. It suits a child's room, a kitchen, or a quiet corner, and pairs naturally with pale wood and other folk-art prints.
Each print is made to order on thick, smooth fine-art paper, framed behind shatter-resistant acrylic, or as a satin-coated cotton canvas. Choose the format that suits your wall.
Frequently asked questions
What does this print show?
A small group of Japanese bird toys, including a blue dove-whistle (hato-bue) and a pale white bird, drawn from life.
What is a hato-bue?
A dove-shaped clay or papier-mâché whistle sold at Japanese shrines and fairs as a children's toy and good-luck charm.
Where does the image come from?
From Kawasaki Kyosen's Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys, an album of omocha-e recording the folk toys of early twentieth-century Japan.
Where does it suit best?
In a child's room, a kitchen, or a quiet corner, where the small birds add a gentle, easy note.
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Japan historical period: Taisho 大正 (1912-1925)
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