I just got my hands on a Japanese doll Hanako chan (花子ちゃん). Compared to the dolls I already have, this one is just superior. Every detail is so well made, particularly the clothing. It comes with a glass case and a neat rotatable wooden base.
Besides the quality of the doll itself, there are two points that draw my attention:
Based on the signature on the wooden plate, the doll is possibly made by a famous doll artist: Shiko Sekihara (關原紫光). Although only Shiko 紫光 is clearly shown here (and the red seal with potentially the full name is barely recognizable), upon quick googling, 關原紫光 is the only Japanese doll artist (人形師) with the same given name that I could find, so that might be it (or just my wishful thinking). That said, I doubt many Japanese artists would use their given names as the signatures of their serious works. And her recent works have a very different style than this one (her style might have changed though).
The other point lies on the cultural aspect of the doll. The name of this doll reminds me of a Japanese urban legend, Hanako San of the toilet (トイレの花子さん). Actually, that is part of the reason I bought the doll. But upon closer look, I notice that it is actually Hanako chan instead of Hanako San. It uses a more casual/childish honorific, so it is most likely not referring to the legend. That said, as a traditional doll, it should have a cultural meaning/origin. I just don't know it yet.
Anyway, this doll will be with me for a while. I put it in the closet to avoid sunlight.
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