Rocking Oni Pair
Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:
This little pair of beechwood oni demons are sitting in their little rocking seesaw, painted with a holly sardine talisman to try and keep them in their place!
Japan has four very distinct seasons - known in the old seasonal almanac as Risshun, Rikka, Rishū, and Rittō (spring, summer, autumn and winter). All of these were marked in the old lunar calendar before the Gregorian calendar was adopted. The eves of all of these seasons were known as ‘setsubun’, meaning ‘seasonal division’ but in modern day Japan only the eve of spring or Risshun is properly marked, and therefore only this one is now associated with Setsubun (節分). It was once also New Year’s Eve, and was accompanied by various cleansing rites and efforts to encourage good fortune. Setsubun takes place on either 2nd (rarely), 3rd or 4th February.
As part of these rites, a custom began around the 15th century of scattering roasted soy beans to drive out evil spirits and purify the home for the coming year. Known as mamemaki, it first took place in homes and later a public bean scattering ceremony was first performed in Tokyo at Senso-ji temple during the Edo period (1603 - 1868) and now happens at various temples across Japan.
These 'good luck' beans (福豆/ fuku mame) are often held in a square wooden measuring cup known as a masu (the ones sometimes used these days to drink sake from) and as they are thrown you must shout “Demons out, fortune in!” (Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!/ 鬼は外! 福は内! ). There are regional variations to this chant, and at Senso-ji they shout "Long life and good fortune, come in!" because there are no demons in front of the enshrined deity.
Beans are also thrown out of windows, sometimes at a member of the family wearing a demon mask, and the doors slammed. When the bean throwing is performed at temples nowadays the beans are in little packets. Once the bean throwing is over, it is customary for people to eat the same number of beans as their age, to ensure good health for the year.
Less frequent these days, there is also a talisman that can be put up outside one's house, known as hiiragi iwashi (literally holly-sardine) - a small branch of holly with sardine heads on it - it was thought that the spikes of the holly leaves would stick in the eyes of intruding demons and the smell of sardines would repel them.
A beechwood set, painted by me, a British artist. They have been hand painted and finished in a matt acrylic protective top coat.
Oni are approximately 7cm in height, the wooden rocker is 10cm in length.
My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these dolls are made from real wood which will have naturally occurring markings and grain, and sometimes there will be small amount of bleeding along the grain, or knots, which is to be expected when using untreated wood - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing.
PLEASE NOTE: Wood girls should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.
