Sansun-hina [Three Sun Hina Doll]

As the name suggests, these are hina dolls of three suns in size (a sun is a traditional measurement which correlates to around 3.03 cm or 1.2 inches).
However, the word sansun [three suns] can also mean “little,” or “small,” and as such these dolls are slightly bigger than exactly 3.6 inches. With that being said, they will still fit perfectly anywhere you wish to display them.

The costumes are made completely from Kodai-gire. Out of the pair, the woman doll is adorned in a particularly lovely design with wisteria flowers and other seasonal patterns. The man is wrapped in a mix of beautiful colors—this is a piece that finds a perfect harmony between its subjects.
Unlike many mass-production dolls that simply have the materials glued on top of each other to create layers, these dolls have had their costumes made just as a kimono would by stitching it all together by hand before being adorned with it. By doing this, the artist has given the dolls a silhouette that exudes sophistication. Both woman and man bear an expression of tranquillity as they watch over their children.

These are, of course, the perfect dolls for the hina doll festival (March 3rd—also known as the peach festival). These hina dolls are especially popular due to their adorable small size—hina dolls are typically larger than these ones. And although they are not a doll that should be displayed outside of the proper seasons, due to their small size they will not require much space to put away.

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Artist
Setsuko Sekine

Production year
2018

Era of Kodai-gire
Edo period

Usage of Kodai-gire
kimono

Base
Japanese sumac lacquer coated

Size (Doll)
d 16cm w 17cm h 12cm

Size (Base)
d 18cm w 18cm h 1.5cm

Size (Box)
d 23.5cm w 22cm h 38.5cm