HISTORY
Aka-beko and Okiagari-koboshi
Aka-beko and Okiagari-koboshi are commonly presented as a new year and festive gifts in Aizu, conveying wishes for health and enduring blessings in the year to come.
Aka-beko is a traditional folk toy from the Aizu region of Fukushima, with a history spanning several centuries. It is regarded as a good-luck charm for warding off misfortune and protecting children. The vivid red color reflects the traditional belief that red can drive away evil spirits and illness, and is closely associated with smallpox (once widespread in Japan).
The black spots on the cow’s body symbolize smallpox sores and carry the meaning of ‘substitution’, an idea that the Aka-beko takes on the suffering in place of a child, allowing the child to grow up healthy and safe. Aka-beko is often made with a nodding head, a gesture that signifies reverence and loyalty to the divine, while also expressing wishes for recovery and a smooth life ahead.
Okiagari-koboshi is another traditional folk doll from Aizu, acclaimed as a charm for good health and fortune. Shaped like a roly-poly toy, it always positions itself upright whenever knocked over, symbolizing resilience and perseverance. It embodies the spirit of ‘falling seven times, rising eight’, demonstrating the determination to stay strong again in the face of numerous setbacks.
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