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| An Original Wooden Miharu Koma |
In Japan, Miharu Koma is a handmade wooden horse figure. It was originally made to act as good luck charms by horse breeders in Aomori prefecture, an area of Japan long famous for quality equine stock. The dolls are painted with bold colors and patterns to represent a horse’s strength and vitality and to act as a ward against disease or accident. The most famous craft originating in Takashiba District is the Miharu Koma wooden horse. This wooden horse is most commonly painted either black or white. Miharu Koma dolls were originally bought and exchanged as good luck charms used to pray for child-rearing. The story of the Miharu Koma comes from 1200 years ago. According to legend, a shogun (coincidentally the same shogun who ordered the construction of the famous temple Kiyomizudera in Kyoto) headed north to conquer Miharu area. Before he left Kyoto, a priest gave him a small figurine of a horse as a good luck charm. This figurine was made from a left-over scrap of wood. He took this charm with him to Tohoku. During battle, when it seemed like he was going to lose, the good luck charm he received from the priest turned into 100 real horses, which led to his clear victory in conquering the area. According to some stories, the original good luck charm horse was even found in Takashiba area! Since the Edo Period, horse figurines have been created and sold in Takashiba as charms to help children grow up big and strong. The black horse is supposed to represent children growing up strong, and the white horse represents longevity. Takashiba district remained in Miharu Town until the end of the 19th century, when it became a part of Koriyama City. During the Edo Period, Miharu was famous for the talent of its people in taming and selling wild horses. Horses in this area grew super famous, and almost had their own brand – the Miharu Koma. Over the years, the very long name given to the wooden horse figurines created in Takashiba area became conflated with the name for the horses sold in Miharu Town, and the doll became known as Miharu Koma.
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| An original 200-year-old amulet |
No Japão o Miharu Koma é uma figura de cavalo de madeira feito à mão. Figuras como essas eram originalmente feitas para agir como amuletos de boa sorte por criadores de cavalos do distrito de Aomori, uma área do Japão famosa há muito tempo por produzir animais de qualidade. As figuras são pintadas com cores e padrões arrojados para representar a força e a vitalidade de um cavalo e atuar como uma proteção contra doenças ou acidentes. O artesanato mais famoso originário do distrito de Takashiba é o cavalo de madeira Miharu Koma. Este cavalo é mais comumente pintado em preto ou branco. Os cavalos Miharu Koma eram originalmente comprados e trocados como amuletos de boa sorte usados para orar pela criação dos filhos. A história do Miharu Koma vem de 1200 anos atrás. Segundo a lenda, um shogun (coincidentemente o mesmo shogun que ordenou a construção do famoso templo Kiyomizudera em Kyoto) foi para o norte para conquistar a área de Miharu. Antes de deixar Kyoto, um monge deu-lhe uma pequena estatueta de cavalo como amuleto da boa sorte. Esta estatueta foi feita com um pedaço de madeira que sobrou da construção do templo Kiyomizudera. Ele levou esse amuleto com ele para Tohoku. Durante a batalha, quando parecia que ele ia perder, o amuleto de boa sorte que recebeu do padre se transformou em 100 cavalos reais, o que levou a sua vitória e subsequente conquista da área. Segundo algumas histórias, o cavalo de amuleto original da sorte foi encontrado na área de Takashiba. Desde o período Edo, estatuetas de cavalos são criadas e vendidas em Takashiba como amuletos para ajudar as crianças a crescerem grandes e fortes. O cavalo preto representa as crianças crescendo fortes, e o cavalo branco representa a longevidade.
Link page 01: Miharu.Koma.Pencil.Holder.Paper.Model.by.Shukuka1014.page.01
Link page 02: Miharu.Koma.Pencil.Holder.Paper.Model.by.Shukuka1014.page.02
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02: Daruma Doll - A Japanese Traditional Luck Item Paper Model - by Kawasaki Frontale
03: Kadomatsu - A Good Luck Amulet Paper Model - by Yukari Nakayama
04: Takarabune - Japanese Treasure Ship Paper Model - by Niku Mansei
