Handmade Japanese Children's Mikoshi on Display at Matsuyama Station

Text by MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

 

The “Dogo Children's Mikoshi,” gifted by Matsuyama City in Japan, is now on display for six months in the B1 hall of Taipei’s Songshan Station. Visitors are welcome to admire the craftsmanship of this traditional Japanese children’s mikoshi at the newly renovated Songshan Station, and can also enjoy a one-day trip of shopping, prayer, and gourmet food in nearby areas such as Wufenpu, Songshan Ciyou Temple, or Raohe Night Market.

Matsuyama City in Japan and Taipei City both have a station named Songshan. The two stations have maintained ongoing exchanges since last year due to their shared name. In November last year, Matsuyama City gifted two Dogo Children's Mikoshi, entirely handcrafted and worth 4 million Japanese yen, to Taipei City. One of the mikoshi has been on long-term display in Beitou, while the other has been touring various locations in Taipei City. During its stops at Songshan Ciyou Temple, Songshan District Office, Songshan Airport, and the Taipei Flora Expo Park, it attracted many visitors. Songshan Station is the fifth stop of the “Dogo Children's Mikoshi” tour, with the display running until September 24.

 

Children’s mikoshi in Japan are specially made for elementary and junior high school students to carry, and are only one-third the size of full-sized mikoshi. The production process and techniques are largely similar, but more emphasis is placed on detailed decorations for the children’s version. Since the mikoshi are entirely handcrafted, it takes at least six months to make one, sometimes even up to a year, ensuring fine craftsmanship. The decorative details of this particular mikoshi took nearly four months to complete, and the entire process involved a team of over 20 people.

 

 

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