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Fannie Pio
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When the American Sidney Lewis Gulick (1860-1945,
supporter of Japan who made contributions to Japanese religion and education
as a missionary for more than 20 years in Japan) returned home to America, he
thought about planning a US-Japanese exchange of friendship through children
and dolls in Japan, where the traditional event of Hina Matsuri (Doll
Festival) is held each year. He invited all Americans to participate, and
children collected money through bazaars, contributed their allowances, and
dressed the dolls with handmade clothes. Over 2.6 million people volunteered
for this project that lasted about a year. They arrived in Japan at the end
of 1926, together with letters, authentic-looking passports, and messages
signed by Dr. Gulick.
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Fannie Pio's Original
Dress and Hat
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After a grand welcoming ceremony was held in
Tokyo, the dolls were distributed throughout Japan. Hokkaido received 643.
(The number confirmed to be in existence now is 23.) Fannie Pio came to
Sapporo from Montclair, New Jersey.
Afterward, as thanks for the Blue-eyed Dolls,
Japanese girls contributed one sen (about a half cent) each, and
first-class doll makers in Tokyo and Kyoto were asked to make dolls. They
made 58 artistic dolls of the highest quality. The dolls were sent to all the
states of America as Torei Ningyo (Dolls of Gratitude).
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Clock Tower in Sapporo
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In 1989, a "Blue-eyed Dolls American
Homecoming Exhibition" was held in Washington, D.C., and other places.
Ninety-five dolls from Japan participated, and Fannie Pio from the Sapporo
Clock Tower also participated in this gathering.
The doll shown on this page was given in 1927 to
Wakaba Kindergarten, a private school. In May 1978, Aki Tsukamoto, who was
the kindergarten's director, contributed the doll to the city of Sapporo.
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