Japanese Folk Toy Stealth Votive Straw Horse Charm Pair Mid Century w/Box

Description

Japanese Folk Toy Stealth Votive Straw Horse Charm Pair Mid Century w/Box
DETAILS OF ITEM
The large piece measures 5 inches tall and the smaller piece measures 4.5 inches tall. This is a folk toy called a "Shinobi Goma" also known as the stealth horse from Hanamaki City of Iwate Prefecture of Japan. The larger piece is a male with its mouth slightly open and the smaller one is a female with its mouth closed. They are secret votive prayer charms.
Enman-ji temple in Hanamaki has been known to answer prayers for marriage wishes and good relationships. People who wish to have their prayers granted will bring a pair of plain straw horses as a votive prayer charm to the temple in the night while nobody is around. After their wishes are granted, they take back the horses that they had brought to the temple and return them by decorating them with the strips of black, red and yellow cloth like this particular piece as a sign of appreciation. After finishing decorating the horse charms, people dedicate them back again to the temple during the night. Since these prayer activities have to be conducted secretly during the night, this particular votive charm is called a "Shinobi Goma...the stealth votive charm horses."
The local souvenir shop owner had created a folk toy version now known as the Shinobi Goma horse like this particular piece based on the local custom that started around 1928 after Hanamaki hot spring was opened in 1920. The condition of this set is like-new and it comes with its original box and insert written in Japanese. The age of this set is from the 1960's and the condition is excellent.
California residents will be charged a sales tax of 8.75%.
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