These Are Japan's Oldest Robots!
The craft of Karakuri dolls (Karakuri meaning trick) is said to have been inspired from the clock mechanisms of the Western World. When Japan shut itself from the rest of the world in the Edo Period (1603 - 1868), it started developing it's own style of art, craft, technology, entertainment, etc as a result of lesser influence from foreign lands. Japan's history was largely influenced by Korea and China before this but the Edo period was a time for flourishing and innovating which would give Japan it's uniqueness that we see today in the modern era.
The clockwork from the West immensely inspired the skilled craftsmen of that period which gave birth to the concept of Karakuri dolls. They were small puppets made of wood which were used for the purpose of entertainment and were divided in 3 categories:
Dashi karakuri used in festivals.
Butai karakuri used in theatres.
Zashiki karakuri used in homes.
Amongst these, the Zashiki karakuri were the most popular type of dolls. The chahakobi dolls (tea serving dolls) were used by a host to serve tea to a guest. The host visually measures the distance between him and his guest knowing how much it needs to move forward. The doll with the beautiful traditional attire holds a tea saucer in it's hands and starts moving forward when a tea cup is placed on the saucer. It stops moving when the host picks up the cup. Once it is placed back, the doll turns around and revert back to it's position. Here is a video so you guys can understand it better.
I mean a tea lover this seems like a must-have to me! The body is made entirely out of wood while it's springs from whale baleen. ( I didn't even know there were uses of a whale baleen! ) To create something so beautiful just by studying the western clockwork is incredibly genius in my opinion and probably why Japan's technology is so advanced.
I thought I was already impressed to my most until I discovered the following video. A mojikaki ningyo (calligrapher doll) sits on a complex mechanism while writing Japanese words. First tea, then art? What are you doing to me Japan! :P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=51&v=txOhsEGLy7A
The other popular dolls are the Yumihiki Dōji (Archer Boy), the Dangaeri Ningyō (Somersault Doll) and the Shinadama Ningyō (Magician Doll). The archer doll shoots 9 out of 10 arrows (intentionally missing one) to create suspense among the viewers. The somersault doll is placed on the top of a staircase like structure and once set in motion, somersaults it's way to the last step. The magician doll performs tricks similar to the "what's in my hat" trick which I am sure all of us must have seen at some point in our lives. The difference is that it waves it' small wand on a box which when lifted reveals different object every time. I think if I would have been a kid from the Edo era, it would have flipped my mind upside down completely.
It is astonishing to even imagine how creative and intelligent the craftsmen were to invent something with such complex mechanism hidden in plain sight purely for the religious/entertainment purposes. The Japanese truly are tied to their roots as their history has so much influence on their present.
Video Links: Archer Boy, Somersault Doll and Magician Doll
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