Friendship Dolls
Japanese Dolls

The Friendship Dolls sent by Japan to America in 1927 were a gift to express the appreciation and thanks of Japanese children for the American dolls sent earlier in that year. The 58 dolls were named after the 47 Japanese prefectures, 6 largest Japanese cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Kobe), 4 territories held by Japan in 1927 (such as Taiwan and Korea), and Japan itself.

Before and during World War II, most of these beautiful Japanese Friendship Dolls were put away in storage, because many Americans did not want to see objects from the country they were fighting.

In recent years, there has been an intensive search to find the Japanese Friendship Dolls. Several have been located in museum storage rooms, after being forgotten for many years. The locations of 46 Japanese Friendship Dolls have been confirmed, and the search still continues for the missing dolls.

Each Japanese Friendship Doll has a unique history. Read the stories of three of these fascinating dolls by following the links below. 

   Miss Hyogo

       Miss Nara

During the last 20 years, many dolls have returned to Japan for restoration. Some dolls had cracks or other damage, and many of the kimonos had become faded after being exposed for many years. When the dolls returned to Japan, many people went to see these pretty ambassadors of friendship.

   
   
   Dolls at St. Luke School
   Barrington, Rhode Island