Description
Yawata Uma; Wooden Folk Toy Horse of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Vintage, ca. 1960's. H.6"(15cm) x (base)L.4.625"(12cm) x (base)W.2.375"(6cm). This piece has been in our family collection for some 50+ years, so definitely has some age and character.
Yawata Uma have been a traditional folk toy of Hachinohe City, Aomori, for over 7 centuries. In olden days, they were made by farmers in the agricultural off-season and sold at Kushihiki Hachiman-gu Shrine as auspicious talismans, leading them to be known as "Yawata", which is another reading of the kanji characters for "Hachiman." It is said that they were originally used to pray for good health of of actual horses, as the region was one of breeding valuable horses. They were hung around the necks of horses to protect them from illness and to pray for fertility. The colorfully painted designs against a black or red background represent the elaborate horse trappings worn for weddings and festivals. They are now popular souvenirs of the region, and for locals still an auspicious gift for occasions like weddings, births, and other childhood milestones.