Miss Miyagi's Homecoming
Return to Miyagi Prefecture After 76 Years

Miss Miyagi is one of the 58 Japanese Ambassador Dolls sent to America in late 1927 as a thank-you gift for the American Friendship Dolls given to Japanese children early the same year. Mrs. Margaret Corbet, a Kansas resident who acquired Miss Miyagi in an auction about 20 years ago, took this Ambassador Doll to Japan and visited Miyagi Prefecture in May 2003.

During Mrs. Corbet's stay in Miyagi Prefecture, Miss Miyagi was displayed from May 21 to 25 at the Sendai Historical Museum in the Prefecture's capital city. Miyagi Prefecture's elementary schools and kindergartens received 221 American Friendship Dolls in 1927, but only eight survived World War II. The eight dolls of Miyagi Prefecture were displayed together with Miss Miyagi during her homecoming exhibit.

The American Friendship Dolls from 1927 are also known in Japan as "Blue-eyed Dolls," named after a song popular at the time of the dolls' arrival in Japan. Mrs. Toshiko Saito, President of the Miyagi Blue-eyed Doll Study Group, was glad that many children and adults learned about the importance of peace through Miss Miyagi and the eight Blue-eyed Dolls. These dolls were exchanged between Japan and America in 1927 to promote peace, friendship, and understanding between the children of the two nations.

 
Poster for
Homecoming Exhibit
 
In 2000, Mrs. Corbet sent two New Blue-eyed Dolls to Monou Elementary School and Uwanuma Elementary School, two schools that still have original American Friendship Dolls from 1927. Mrs. Corbet said, "I enjoy showing Miss Miyagi to school children here in America. I was excited to have this opportunity to show my doll to Japanese children."

Mrs. Corbet lived for about a year in Gifu Prefecture after the end of World War II when her husband served in the military there. After her visit to Miyagi Prefecture, she stopped by Gifu Prefecture to show her Japanese Ambassador Doll to some elementary school students.

Return to Miss Miyagi

Special thanks to information provided by Margaret Corbet
     and the Miyagi Blue-eyed Doll Study Group.
Photo provided by Margaret Corbet.

Web site on Blue-eyed Dolls of Miyagi Prefecture.


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