Hato – dove bell

Hato, clay bell in the shape of a dove. In Japan, as in many other places in the world, doves are a symbol of peace. Made by hand using moulds to create the two faces which are then joined before being fired. It is then coated with a white paint, called gofun, which serves as a base for painting all the other colours. The craft of nogomi ningyō, nogomi dolls, originated after the Second World War as a means to soothe people’s hearts and minds. For this reason, these small clay figurines began to be sold as good luck charms and talismans at the Yūtoku Inari shrine, the third largest Inari shrine in Japan. The painting is not waterproof. As it is handmade, there may be slight differences between one piece and another.