1960s
The doll represents the celestial being wearing the famous “feather robe” in the noh play “Hagoromo” (羽衣), which is believed to have been written by Zeami (1363-1443), a Japanese playwright credited with formalizing noh theater. “Hagoromo” was popular during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), and remains one of the most popular noh plays today. The story is based on Japanese folklore from a region on the Pacific coast near Mount Fuji, and tells the story of a fisherman and a celestial being.
In the play, one spring day, a fisherman returns from sea and discovers a beautiful robe hanging from a tree branch near the shore. Struck by its beauty, the fisherman decides to take it home and make it a “treasure of the country.” Suddenly, a beautiful maiden appears and tells him that she is a celestial being, and without that robe she cannot return to the heavens. She begs him for the robe, but the fisherman refuses. After seeing the beautiful maiden in deep distress, the fisherman offers a compromise; if the maiden would perform the famous “celestial dance,” he would return the robe.
The maiden agrees, but tells the fisherman that she must wear the robe to perform the dance. Suspicious, the fisherman tells her that if he gives her the robe, she’ll fly back without dancing for him. The maiden tells the fisherman that deception belongs to the human world; in the heavens there are no false promises. Ashamed, the fisherman offers her the robe The maiden performs the beautiful dance to heavenly music. A fragrance fills the air before flying over the forest and Mount Fuji, disappearing into the spring mist.
