Art: Porcelain Piece

Porcelain Piece

Included in Daily Life box, Visual Arts box

• Description: Porcelain bell/figure of the legendary Kintarō riding a koi fish (carp).  According to legend, Japanese folk hero Kintarō (Golden Boy) was raised deep in the mountains of Mount Ashigara by a single mother, with wild animals as his primary friends.  Born with incredible, superhuman strength, he would go on many adventures, defeating oni (demons), participating in sumo wrestling matches with wild animals, and helping local wood cutters chop down trees.  He would later be taken under the wing of a famous Samurai, Maniamoto no Yorimitsu, and would grow to become a legendary warrior. He is often featured in story books, cartoons, kabuki plays, and films.  Kintarō dolls are a popular decorative item on “Children’s Day” (Kodomo no Hi) for households with boys.
  For more information, visit:  http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/folk/kintaro/index.html

• Links
  • About Children’s Day
  • Porcelain vs Earthenware

• 360 view

• Lesson Plans (All are in PDF format)
  • Art of Japan – NCTA Ohio

• Standard Reference
  (If you know of another standard that may link to this item, please add it to the comment box below.)