Rare Hokosan Hariko doll. Local toy from Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. The legend behind this doll tells of a maid named Omaki who sacrificed her own life when her princess was sick. She took on her lady's high fever and, to ensure she couldn't infect anyone else, Omaki sailed far away to an island where she threw herself into the waves, carrying the disease with her. These Hoko-san papier-mâché dolls were placed in the arms of a sick child for protection, and some customs still require parents to float the doll the next morning. Today, it is an amulet against illness and is given to a girl at the time of marriage. It is also a favorite souvenir for tourists.
