Clay Figures of Ancient Japan: The Story of Dogū
What Are Dogū Figurines?
Dogū are small clay figures made by the people of ancient Japan during the Jōmon period, which ran from around 14,000 BC to 400 BC. These figures were shaped like people or animals, and they were created only during this time. Once the Jōmon period ended, the next era, called the Yayoi period, did not continue this tradition.
Each region in Japan had its own style of Dogū. The look of these figures also changed over time. Some look simple, while others are detailed and intricate. The differences help experts figure out when and where each one was made.
The National Museum of Japanese History estimates that around 15,000 Dogū have been found so far. The Japan Times puts that number closer to 18,000. They’ve been uncovered across most of Japan, though almost none have been found in Okinawa. Most of the discoveries come from eastern Japan. It’s rare to find any in the western parts of the country.
It’s important not to confuse Dogū with haniwa, which are clay funerary statues from the later Kofun period. Haniwa had a different use and came from a different time. Everyday pottery from the Jōmon period is usually referred to as Jōmon pottery and has nothing to do with these clay figures.
Why Were Dogū Made?
No one really knows for sure what Dogū were used for. But there are strong theories. Some researchers think they were used in spiritual or healing rituals. The idea is that people believed pain or sickness could be passed into these figures. Then the figure would be broken or buried, taking the illness away with it.
Many of the Dogū are shaped like women, and their features stand out. They often have large eyes, narrow waists, and wide hips. Some also have large bellies, which could suggest they were linked to pregnancy or childbirth. This makes some scholars believe these figures may have been symbols of fertility or mother goddesses.
The faces and bodies often show patterns that might have been tattoos. These marks were likely carved into the clay using tools like bamboo sticks. The faces are usually large, the arms and hands small, and the overall bodies compact and stocky.
Types of Dogū Figures
Some Dogū have faces that look like hearts or crescents. Others have strange details like horned heads or large round eyes. One of the most well-known types is called the shakōkidogū, which translates to “goggle-eyed Dogū.” These figures have such a distinct look that most people in Japan imagine this type when they hear the word Dogū.
The term shakōki means “light-blocking device” because the figures' eyes look like snow goggles once worn by Inuit groups. These goggle-shaped eyes are one of their most noticeable traits. But they also have over-the-top features, like big chests, wide hips, and thick thighs. The stomach area is usually covered in patterns, which might have been painted with bright red pigment like vermilion. The bigger Dogū were often made hollow inside.
Most Dogū are found broken. It’s rare to discover one that’s whole. Many are missing legs, arms, or other parts. But sometimes it looks like these pieces weren’t broken by accident, for they may have been cut off on purpose, possibly as part of a ritual.
Where Were They Found?
Some of the most famous goggle-eyed Dogū have been uncovered at sites that are now considered important cultural properties. These include the Kamegaoka site in Aomori, the Teshiromori site in Iwate, the Ebisuda site in Miyagi, and the Izumisawa Kaizuka site, also in Miyagi. Each location has helped researchers learn more about how and why these clay figures were made.
These sites hold key pieces of Japan’s prehistoric history. The Dogū found there help paint a picture of life in the Jōmon period. They give us clues about how people lived, what they believed in, and how they expressed those beliefs through art and ritual.
Ancient Japanese Burial Figures: The Role of Haniwa in Kofun Tombs
What Are Haniwa?
Haniwa are clay sculptures made during Japan’s Kofun period, which lasted from the 3rd to the 6th century AD. These terracotta figures were used in funeral rituals. They were placed around burial mounds and meant to serve the dead in the afterlife. The name "haniwa" translates to "circle of clay," pointing to how these objects were arranged in a ring around tombs.
The figures were shaped using a method called wazumi. Artisans rolled up clay into coils and stacked them layer by layer to build each figure. After shaping the base, they attached extra parts like arms or tools separately, then smoothed everything down with wooden paddles. Only a few details were carved directly into the clay. The final structure had a hollow cylinder at the base, which helped secure the figure into the ground. The earth held them upright around the burial mound.
Not every haniwa was a sculpture of a person or animal. Some were just simple clay cylinders used as offerings. In some places, even wooden versions of haniwa have been found. These wooden figures served a similar role and were buried in the same way.
What Were Haniwa Made From?
Artisans made haniwa from water-rich clay that dried into a rough and absorbent texture. That’s one reason so many have survived until now. The coarse terracotta didn’t crumble easily. Their sturdy build helped them last for centuries, even when exposed to the elements over time.
Why Did People Make Haniwa?
Haniwa were more than decoration. They were funeral objects placed with the dead for both symbolic and practical reasons. Spiritually, they were believed to protect the soul of the person buried. Some think they were placed to guard the tomb or help the deceased pass into the afterlife. Others suggest they acted as substitutes for human sacrifices, which were once a part of earlier burial traditions.
A passage from the ancient Nihon Shoki tells of Emperor Suinin, who supposedly ordered people to stop using live humans in burials and to use clay figures instead. But scholars now know haniwa didn’t appear until well after his reign ended. Still, the story may reflect a wider change in burial customs, where clay figures began replacing older, harsher rituals.
Haniwa also had a practical role. Their placement around the mound helped hold the soil in place, like a retaining wall. So, beyond the spiritual meaning, they helped shape and preserve the structure of the tomb.
Who Did Haniwa Represent?
Haniwa came in many shapes and forms. Some were modeled after horses, chickens, fish, or birds. Others showed people holding fans, weapons, or tools. There were also haniwa shaped like homes, shields, sunshades, or pillows. Many of the figures wore armor or held swords, showing how important the military class had become during the Kofun period.
These sculptures give a clear look at what people wore, how they styled their hair, and what they used in daily life. That’s why haniwa are also valuable records of Japan’s past. They offer rare insight into how people lived and what mattered to them.
This period in Japan’s history was dominated by elite families and powerful warriors. Their tombs were massive, and haniwa were made to reflect that power. Cavalry figures wore iron armor and carried weapons similar to those used by soldiers in northeast Asia. These military haniwa show how much influence warfare had on society at the time.
Where Were Haniwa Found?
The most important haniwa discoveries come from southern Honshu, especially around the Kinai region near Nara, and also from northern Kyushu. These areas were major centers of power during the Kofun period, and their tombs were some of the largest. That’s why so many haniwa are found there.
But the origin of haniwa actually goes back a bit further. Toward the end of the Yayoi period, in a kingdom called Kibi, people began placing special earthenware sculptures and bowls on top of leaders’ tombs. These early forms were over a meter tall and had a clear structure. The torso was made from a vertical cylinder, and the base flared out to represent the legs. Some had symbols or designs carved into their bodies. Others were wrapped with a clay belt, or obi. These figures seem to have played a role in funeral rites. Other than Kibi, similar sculptures from that early time have only been found in Izumo province.
How Do Haniwa Compare to Other Clay Art?
Haniwa are often compared to two other types of pottery from ancient Japan. One is Haji ware, which was everyday pottery used during the Kofun period. It’s not related to the spiritual role of haniwa. The other is Dogū, which are older clay figures from the Jōmon period. Dogū were also linked to ritual or healing, but they look very different and were used for other purposes. Dogū had exaggerated features and were mostly female, while haniwa were more realistic and showed a wider range of subjects.
How Haniwa Figures Emerged on Burial Mounds
By the late third century, sculpted figures began appearing on top of large burial mounds in the Kinai region of Japan. These weren't just plain shapes anymore. Alongside them came more detailed haniwa figures, some shown with earthenware bowls. Historians believe this change, along with the movement of these figures from the Kibi area into Kinai, shows that they had grown in importance during this period.
Earlier in the Kofun era, around the late 200s CE, haniwa were mostly simple. They were plain, cylinder-shaped pieces of clay that looked like barrels. These were used to shape and build the mounds themselves. Builders would arrange the barrels in a line to form the mound's outline, whether it was round, square, or keyhole-shaped. Then they filled the inside with dirt. Once the first layer was set, they repeated the process, stacking more rows and packing in more soil until the mound reached the right height. Sloping sides were made by adding extra dirt around the outside.
New Haniwa Shapes Show Up in the 4th Century
In the early 4th century CE, haniwa figures started to change. Sculptors began shaping them like shields and other tools. A bit later, in the middle of the Kofun period, around the mid-5th century, haniwa started to look like shrine maidens, animals, and other human-like or lifelike forms. There were horses, dogs, and people crafted in clay, all placed around the burial mounds.
As the tradition of building these ceremonial graves began to fade around the mid-6th century CE, the use of haniwa started to drop off in the Kinai area. But in the Kantō region, they were still made in large numbers.
Types of Haniwa and What They Reveal
Not all haniwa were cylinders. Some were shaped like houses. Others took on the form of people, animals, swords, and even tools. These sculpted figures are called keisho-haniwa. The details carved into each one can tell a lot about the person buried in the tomb. They show what kind of objects were used in that time, what people wore, and what the military class looked like. Some military haniwa are detailed enough to give insight into the types of weapons and armor that existed then. They also reflect the status of those who were buried.
At first, the cylindrical haniwa were placed directly on top of the mound. This has led many to think they played a role in the funeral ceremony itself. But as time went on and haniwa forms became more complex, they were moved to the edge of the mound. This likely marked the border of the burial site, acting as a sort of perimeter or sacred boundary.
What Haniwa Might Have Represented
One theory says that the soul of the dead person could live inside the haniwa. That would explain why earlier haniwa were placed on the mound itself. Some of these figures were made with weapons and armor. If the soul really was thought to live in the sculpture, then the armor and weapons would help keep evil spirits away. They might have been meant to protect the ruler buried beneath them from danger or misfortune.
Many animal-shaped haniwa were placed in a neat line. This has led to the belief that they played a part in a send-off ritual for the dead.
Haniwa in Modern Culture and Art
Today, haniwa no longer hold the same religious meaning they once did. But they’re still valued for their beauty and their role in Japanese history. Artist Isamu Noguchi drew major inspiration from them in his work. Time magazine once referred to haniwa as a form of “Pure Art.”
In pop culture, though, haniwa have taken on a new identity. Since the late 1990s, the idea of living haniwa has shown up in movies, TV, trading cards, and games. Some versions show them as strange, ghostlike figures. They usually have no emotion and carry out their tasks without hesitation. The most familiar version is shaped like a rounded pot, with two deep eye holes, a wide mouth, and two stubby arms sticking out from either side.
In the Animal Crossing video games, haniwa appear as quirky characters called Gyroids. In the Japanese version of the game, they are actually named “haniwa,” keeping their original connection intact.
What Are the Haniwa “Dancers”?
The Haniwa Terracotta Dancers are two clay statues made during Japan’s Kofun period, which lasted from around 250 to 538 AD. These figures are part of the Tokyo National Museum’s collection. One is taller than the other, but both are shaped like people and made from terracotta. Their hand positions led people to think they were dancing, which is how they got the name “Dancing Haniwa.”
They were dug up on March 21, 1930, from the Nohara Tumulus, located in what’s now Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture. At the time, it was part of Ohara Village in Ōsato County, now known as Ōaza Nohara Aza Miyawaki. The site is part of a larger group of burial mounds called the Nohara Kofun Cluster.
These two sculptures are known for their minimal design, odd facial expressions, and the unique position of their arms, which make them look like they’re dancing. But some researchers now think they might not be dancers at all. A growing number of experts believe these statues actually show people handling horses, maybe pulling a rein.
A Closer Look at the Design
Most haniwa figures from the Kofun period are abstract. These two push that even further. Each one is made to stand upright. The lower body isn’t shown at all. Instead, there’s a tube-shaped base, and the heads are rounded. The arms are simple clay rods. One arm is raised, while the other stretches down and across the body. From the front, both arms look like they form a backwards “S.”
The faces are unusual. Their eyes and mouths are hollowed out into round, open shapes. That makes them look like they’re singing or mid-chant. This type of face isn’t common among haniwa. There’s no visible neck, and a strip of clay forms a nose that runs up to the forehead. It’s a bold, simple way to show a face.
Clothing is barely there. The only real detail is a belt around the waist. The lack of detail makes it hard to say exactly who or what they were supposed to be. But it leaves room for interpretation.
Details That Suggest Identity
The smaller figure has clay added to both sides of its head. This hairstyle is one that was once worn by peasants. It features two side buns and was common among lower-ranking men. On its lower back, there’s a tool that looks like a sickle, suggesting that this figure could be a male farmer.
The larger figure has no clear ears or hair, just small holes where ears might be. Because one figure is large and the other small, some people have guessed that the pair represents a man and a woman, with the larger one being female. But others argue both are male.
Public Reaction and Scholarly Opinions
When these figures were first displayed in the Special Haniwa Exhibition, critics didn’t hold back. People called them strange and poorly made. They haven’t been labeled as “important cultural properties” like many other haniwa. Still, some experts have warmed up to them.
Archaeologist Shuichi Goto once said their awkward style gives them charm. Another expert, Fumio Miki, noted that even though they look rough, their open expressions feel honest and close to human. Art historian Seiroku Noma argued that their simplicity is intentional. Instead of being primitive, he said their bold look is the result of stripping down a more developed art style. That’s what makes them stand out.
Original Interpretation: Dancers or Workers?
Shuichi Goto was the first to call these figures dancers. In 1931, he wrote a paper titled “The Significance of Haniwa” and grouped figures by their clothing and posture. He believed their raised arms showed dance movements, especially when compared to other haniwa playing instruments. He even named them the “Dancing Man and Woman.” He tied them to similar finds like a boy playing a koto and another playing a taiko drum, both found in Gunma Prefecture.
But since the 1990s, this view has faced pushback. Scholars began to question Goto’s methods. Critics pointed out that Goto linked arm positions to dancing without solid proof. Yoshimichi Tsukada is one of the researchers pushing back against the “dancer” label.
Tsukada argues that the two figures are actually horse handlers. He says their features make more sense that way. For example, their raised arms, sickle tool, waist-up design, and hairstyles all match up with known haniwa that represent people leading horses. Tsukada also notes that female haniwa are usually shown with visible breasts. Since the larger figure lacks this detail, he believes both figures are likely men.
Final Thoughts
The Haniwa Terracotta Dancers offer more questions than answers. Were they dancers? Farmers? Horse keepers? The truth might never be fully known. What’s clear is that they stand out for their simplicity, mystery, and the way they continue to challenge how we see Japan’s past. They might not be polished or officially recognized, but they’ve carved out a place in the story of ancient Japanese art.
Zuijin: The Shrine Guardians of Japan’s Sacred Gates
Who Are the Zuijin in Shinto?
Zuijin are guardian figures in Shinto. The name means something like “attendant spirit” or “those who obey orders.” These figures are considered protective deities, especially linked to shrine gates. In many places, they’re known as Kadomori-no-Kami, which means "gate-watching gods." You’ll often see them standing on either side of the entrance to a shrine, holding bows and arrows, looking like warriors from another time.
Originally, Zuijin wasn’t a spiritual title. It referred to bodyguards of the Japanese emperor. Over time, their image changed into the religious world. Statues of these guardians now stand at the gates of Shinto shrines, acting as protectors of sacred space. They serve a role similar to the Niō guardians in Buddhist temples or the horned Gozu and Mezu who guard the gates of the underworld.
Their look is specific and rooted in history. You’ll usually see them dressed in court uniforms from the Heian period. They wear traditional robes, a formal crown called the Kenei no kanmuri, and carry a sword, bow, and arrows. Sometimes they’re shown with silver rings and placed behind glass or glossy materials to give them an ethereal appearance.
These guardians are also tied to Dosojin, deities that protect crossroads and other boundary zones. That makes sense, since shrine gates mark the boundary between the human world and the world of the kami. The Zuijin stand right at that line, facing outward, watching over who comes and goes.
Yadaijin: The Guardian on the Left
On the left side of the gate (from the visitor’s point of view), you’ll see Yadaijin. His name literally means "Minister of Arrows," though he isn’t an actual minister. He’s an attendant figure, part of the old inner palace guard. Yadaijin wears a flowing outer robe called a Kettekino-ho. His headdress, the Kenei no kanmuri, is fitted with side ornaments called Oikake. He carries a sword at his waist and holds a bow and arrows in his hands.
People sometimes confuse his name with a high-ranking title, but he’s not a Daijin. He’s a Zuijin, sometimes referred to as Kadono-osa, a public officer of the gate. His look and name reflect his weapons, not his rank.
Some say Yadaijin is based on a god from Japanese mythology. He’s linked with Amanoiwatowake no Kami, a divine being connected to the tale of the sun goddess’s cave. Others believe the figure draws from Amenooshihi no Mikoto and Amatsukume no Mikoto. These gods are said to have led the descent of Ninigi, the sun goddess’s grandson, to earth. They carried sacred weapons, including divine bows and arrows, and helped remove the great rock blocking the cave of the sun goddess. This mix of myth and ceremony gives Yadaijin deeper meaning beyond just guarding a gate.
In some cases, people call the whole gate he stands by “Yadaijin-mon” because of his strong presence.
Sadajin: The Guardian on the Right
On the right side stands Sadajin, or the “Left Minister.” The name can be confusing. Even though he's on the right from the visitor's view, his name means “left,” because it's based on the position from the inside looking out.
Like Yadaijin, Sadajin wears the same court robe and crown, carries the same weapons, and has the same upright stance. But there’s one key difference. Sadajin’s mouth is open, while Yadajin’s is closed. This detail is artistic as it comes from Buddhist tradition. The open mouth represents the first sound made when breathing in, and the closed mouth represents the breath going out. It’s the same symbolism used in the Niō statues at Buddhist temples, showing the cycle of life and the passage of breath. Together, the two figures stand for the beginning and end of all things.
Guardians of Boundaries and Belief
These figures are more than just decorations. They’re reminders that the space you’re entering is sacred. The Zuijin protect the shrine, for they guard the spiritual line between the everyday world and the divine realm. Their roots in court tradition, ancient mythology, and religious symbolism give them a layered meaning that goes beyond their weapons and armor.
You’ll find them across Japan, especially at larger shrines with formal gates. Their presence is a mix of Shinto belief, imperial tradition, and centuries-old mythology. Whether you know the legends or not, standing before them makes you feel like you're crossing into a different world.
