Amagatu

A religious doll that is placed close to an infant as a protection and used to transfer misfortunes onto it. During the Heian period, it was used in aristocratic households as a substitute for an infant. In books such as "The Tale of Genji," it appears as a type of charm doll to protect the infant along with an amulet or sword. According to "Yoshū-fushi" (Kurokawa Doyu), published in 1686 (Jokyo 3), a single round bamboo stalk about 30 centimeters long is placed horizontally to serve as the doll's two hands, and two more stalks are tied together to form a T-shaped body, on which a round head made of white silk (neri silk) is placed. Eyes, a nose, a mouth, and hair are painted on the head. The doll is then dressed in clothing and placed at the infant's bedside to transfer misfortunes and impurities that may befall the infant onto it. "Kiyu Shoran" (Kitamura Nobuyo), published in 1830 (Bunsei 13), states that they were used until children reached the age of three. The practice of displaying Ame-no-ko continued in the Imperial Court and Imperial households during the Muromachi period, and by the Edo period it had also become popular among ordinary citizens. A similar doll, the stuffed Hoko, appeared around the same time as Ame-no-ko, and in the Edo period, a custom arose of displaying a pair of Hoko dolls, with Ame-no-ko representing boys and Hoko representing girls, on a Hinadan stage, and of bringing these dolls to brides.

[Ryosuke Saito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幼児の守りとして身の近くに置き、凶事をこれに移し負わせるのに用いる信仰人形。幼児用の形代(かたしろ)として平安時代に貴族の家庭で行われた。『源氏物語』などの諸書には、幼児の御守りや太刀(たち)とともにその身を守るまじない人形の一種として登場する。1686年（貞享3）刊の『雍州府志(ようしゅうふし)』（黒川道祐(どうゆう)）によると、30センチメートルほどの丸い竹1本を横にして人形の両手とし、2本を束ねて胴として丁字形のものをつくり、それに白絹（練り絹）でつくった丸い頭をのせる。頭には目鼻口と髪を描く。これに衣装を着せて幼児の枕元(まくらもと)に置き、幼児を襲う禍(わざわい)や穢(けがれ)をこれに負わせる。1830年（文政13）刊の『嬉遊笑覧(きゆうしょうらん)』（喜多村信節(きたむらのぶよ)）には子供が3歳になるまで用いたとある。天児を飾ることは室町時代に宮中、宮家などで続いてみられ、江戸時代には民間でも用いられるようになった。また天児と同じ時期に発生した同じような人形に縫いぐるみの這子(ほうこ)があり、江戸時代に入ると天児を男の子、這子を女の子に見立てて対(つい)にして雛壇(ひなだん)に飾り、嫁入りにはこれを持参する風習も生まれた。

［斎藤良輔］

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