On February 22, 2020, the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum opened in thecity of Saitama, in the historic ningyo district of Iwatsuki. TheIwatsuki Ningyo Museum collects, conserves, and carries out
research on ningyo (human figures) and the culture of ningyo and,through exhibitions and educational activities, carries out programs
to enable more people to become familiar with this craft and its
culture.
Our goal as a museum is to be a facility that anyone can freely
enjoy, to provide an overview of the beauty and history of ningyo, inthe context of Japanese culture, and to inform the world about thatningyo culture in all its fascination and depth.

［ Guide to the Museum ］

EnglishHours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Last admission 30 minutes before closing.)
Closing days: Mondays (except national holidays) and the New Year’s holiday period(December 28 to January 4)*The museum may have other special opening or closing days.

Admission Ticket:

General: ¥300（Group of 20 or more: ¥200, Yearly Pass: ¥1,030）
High school /university students and persons over 65: ¥150（Group of 20 or more: ¥100, Yearly Pass: ¥510）
Elementary school and junior high school students: ¥100（Group of 20 or more: ¥50, Yearly Pass: ¥300）*Admission is half price for persons with a disability certificate and one accompanying person.
*Admission fee varies depending on the exhibition.

West Gate

Tobu Urban Park Line (Noda Line)To Kashiwa

To Omiya

Iwatsuki Sta.
East Gate

Iwatsuki Ward Off.
(WATSU)

Iwatsuki
Elem. Sch.

Convenience Store

Togyoku
Taishokan

Misegura

ShibueTo Omiya

Nigiwai Koryukan
Iwatsuki
Iwatsuki Library

To Kasukabe

Iwatsuki Sta. Ent.

Toki-no-kaneBellPark［ Facilities ］
Site area: 7,543.41㎡ ／ Total floor area: 2,029.07㎡
Structure: Reinforced concrete; partly steel frame
Floors: 1 aboveground floor
Facilities: Exhibition Rooms 1–3, Meeting Room, Museum Shop

Iwatsuki-han
Senkyokan［ Access ］

To Takasaki◉By train

Japan’s Ningyo

KasukabeOmiya

JR ShonanShinjuku Line

JR Keihin-Tohoku Line

JR Musashino LineMusashiUrawa

JR Ueno-Tokyo LineTo Kashiwa

MinamiKoshigaya
ShinKoshigaya

AkabaneKita-Senju
Ikebukuro

Asakusa

Shinjuku

OshiageUeno

JR Yamanote LineTokyoTo Shinagawa

6-1-1, Honcho, Iwatsuki Ward, Saitama City,
Saitama Prefecture 339-0057, Japan
Tel. +81-(0)48-749-0222 Fax. +81-(0)48-749-0225

Tobu Skytree Line(Isesaki Line)

JR Saikyo Line

To Nishi-Funabashi

To Fuchu-Hommachi

Gosho ningyo, A Cockfight, Edo period

Iwatsuki◉By car*The museum has parking for 28
standard cars, 2 parking places forwheelchair use, and 2 parking places
for large buses. Its parking area isshared with the Nigiwai Koryukan
Iwatsuki next door.

Iwatsuki, Ningyo City

Kawagoe*Iwatsuki Station is about 12 minutes
from Omiya Station.

5.5 kilometers from the Iwatsuki
exit on the Tohoku Expressway(about 12 minutes’ drive)

ToTobu-Dobutsu-Koen

To Utsunomiya

Tobu Urban Park Line
(Noda Line)

10 minutes’ walk from Iwatsuki
Station, Tobu Urban Park Line
(Noda Line)
Ningyo is a Japanese term that means“human form.” While often translated
as “doll,” the implications of ningyo
are far deeper. They were originallycreated in a religious context, withningyo substituting for living people inrituals. Over time, however, the roles ofningyo expanded. In the Edo period(1603–1868), ningyo had become objects
of appreciation and affection, having
developed into an auspicious andenchanting presences. The outstanding
examples of that evolution are thehina ningyo, miniature ningyo that are
displayed during the Hina Matsuri.
Since about the 1920s, ningyo
have also been regarded as an art
form, and Japan’s distinctive, anddiverse, ningyo culture has continuedto develop.

Welcome to theIwatsuki Ningyo Museum

Saitama City

During the Edo period (1603–1868), the custom
of observing the Hina Matsuri (an annual
celebration for girls on the third day of thethird month, featuring a set of hina ningyo,
small human figurines) spread widely. Inresponse, markets for hina ningyo (as well asfor the figures and decorative armor displayed
during the boys’ celebration on the fifth of thefifth month) were established in central
Nihombashi and other locations in Edo. With
that blossoming of ningyo culture in Edo,
craftsmen in villages such as Konosu andKoshigaya in Musashi province (whichincludes today’s Saitama Prefecture) began
making ningyo to meet the rising demand.
Iwatsuki became a ningyo production
center in earnest from the Taisho period(1912–1926) on. Both the Great Kanto
Earthquake in 1923 and World War II spurred
the inflow of technical skills to Iwatsuki fromTokyo. During Japan’s period of rapid
economic growth, Iwatsuki grew into a major
center for the production of ningyo. Today, astroll through this neighborhood will reveal signs
for many ningyo shops and workshops, giving aclear sense of Iwatsuki as ningyo city.
Cover: Inubako cases, Edo period

The street in front of Iwatsuki Station in the 1960s or 1970s

Ningyo heads on sticks, inserted into straw posts

Exhibition GuideExhibition Room 1: Ningyo Production in Saitama
Saitama Prefecture is Japan’s largest producer of ningyo. This exhibition
room introduces how ningyo are made, with a focus on ningyo fromIwatsuki. In addition to exhibitions of the tools and materials used increating ningyo, ningyo made in Saitama, and reference materials,
videos are screened of craftspersons making ningyo.

The Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum Collection

The Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum collection includes a wide range of ningyo,
from Japan and abroad, and materials related to ningyo.

Seasonalcelebrations

Classic

Entrance hallBrushes used in making ningyo

Painting the features in making ningyo

MeetingRoomPrivate

Exhibition Room 2: Japan’s Ningyo from the Collection
This exhibition room displays a cornucopia of Japanese ningyo from themuseum collection. Hina ningyo, gosho ningyo, kamo ningyo: enjoy themin all their variety.

MuseumShop

Gosho ningyo, Nearly Nude Child, Edo period
Tiered hina display (Upper level: Inubako case and hina ningyo, kokin-bina style; middle level: Guard, small, curled up
tsukune gosho ningyo, and five musicians; lower level: Hoko and accessories for hina ningyo), Edo to Meiji period

FolkLobby

Information Exhibition
Room1

Creative

Hanamaki clay ningyo, Shiba Onko Breaking the Pot, Edo period

Momotaro, by Hirata Goyo, Showa period

International

Kamo ningyo, Seven Lucky Gods, Edo period

Nishizawa Tekiho and the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum◉The core of the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum
holdings consists of the collection built by
Nishizawa Tekiho (1889–1965). Tekiho was a
Nihonga (modern Japanese-style painting)artist who is also known for his research onningyo and toys and as a collector. He worked
hard to develop and spread the culture ofningyo. The ningyo he collected are of highquality and cover a wide range of genres.

Upper left: Gosho ningyo, A Cockfight, Edo period
Upper right: Accessories for hina ningyo, of maki-e lacquer, rosewood, and ivory, Edo period
Lower left: Ukiyo-e, Triptych of Prints Depicting Hina Matsuri Celebrations,by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), 1861

Pictures andclassic texts

Lower right: Boy Playing the Flute, by Noguchi Mitsuhiko, 1956

Toy from Thailand, papier-mâché elephant, 20th century

Exhibition Room 3: Special Exhibitions
The museum holds special exhibitions related to ningyo. For details,
please check the museum website or ask at its information counter.
*Works on display are subject to change.
*The exhibition room may be closed when works on display are being changed.

A Hundred Hina Designs, edited by Kubota Beisai and Nishizawa Tekiho, 1915

Portrait of Nishizawa Tekiho at the Nishizawa
Toy Culture Research Center (in his home), Showa period

Gallery

Facilities
Guide

Hallway Gallery

Entrance

Exhibition Room 2

Exhibition Room 3

WomenDrink Corner

Men

Nursery RoomMultipurpose Toilet

Coin Lockers［ Museum Shop and Cafe ］
The Museum Shop offers publications
by the museum and a variety of original
goods. Enjoy light meals and beverages
in the Cafe.

【 Educational and Outreach Activities 】 The museum carries out lectures and hands-on workshops
related to its exhibitions. Its programs are design to appeal to a wide age range, including adults as well as children. “See,learn, and make” are the keynotes of our programs to encourage greater understanding of ningyo and the culture ofningyo. Please take part!
Passage from the entrance on Urakoji Street