Aki Tsukamato with Blue-eyed Doll

 
The finding of American dolls at elementary schools at Hamatonbetsu-cho in the Soya Area and at Kuriyama-cho and Nanporo-cho in Sorachi-gun has become a topic of conversation. These dolls were given to Japanese children by America in 1927 and were modeled on the "Blue-eyed Doll" of Ujo Noguchi. Yesterday on the 4th, there was contact also from a Sapporo woman, who said, "The same type of doll at my place . . ."

Doll in Original Clothing

The owner is Aki Tsukamoto (67 years old), who lives at Minami 10, Nishi 13, Chuo-ku. She had stored away this doll that had been given in January 1927 to Wakaba Kindergarten, which her father Shoken Tsukamoto had founded in 1909. She says that she remembered the doll when she saw the Hamatonbetsu article in the Hokkaido Shimbun.

This charming American doll has a height of 40 centimeters, eyes that close when she is laid down, and a voice that cries "mama." In those days the American Committee on World Friendship Among Children sent these dolls to the world. Tsukamoto says, "Also remaining are a letter from the sender of the doll and thank you letters sent to the Hokkaido Government Office about the Japanese doll given by Hokkaido to America in return. It is all right to donate them somewhere if they will be used for a good purpose."

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