special-exhibition

[Mini Exhibition] “Hariko (Papier-mâché)”

December 13, 2025 – March 1, 2026

Hariko is a traditional Japanese paper craft used to make figures such as dolls and masks. It is created by layering sheets of washi (Japanese paper) over a wooden mold, allowing it to dry, and then coating it with a mixture of gofun (a white pigment made from ground seashells) and nikawa (animal glue). Once this layer is dry, the figure is painted with other colors to finish.

This mini exhibition features hariko zodiac figures. We invite you to enjoy the warm texture of washi and the charmingly rounded shapes that give hariko its distinctive appeal.

Kurashiki Hariko: Decorative Horse
Made by Kanichi Omizu, Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, 1989