[Sabu Oguro] 小黒三郎｜組み木の五月人形 （段飾り）

＊子どもが手にとってあそべる、五月人形。まあるい重箱におさまります
小黒三郎さんの組み木のお節句人形の魅力は、主役の子どもたちが、手にとってあそべること。
木のやさしい手触りを感じながら子どもが自分の手で組み木を飾る、わっぱや木枠にしまう。

丸い枠にぴたりと収まるようにデザインされた武者や金太郎たち。1枚の板から切り出されたそれらは、ひと続きの木目でつながっています。 お節句が終わったら、家族でお人形をしまう時間も大切にしてください。どんな会話が交わされるでしょう。 パズルのように、すべてがきちんとおさまったときは、最高の達成感も味わえます。

作家で組み木デザイナーの小黒三郎さんは書いておられます。「私は（幼い頃）、五月人形とあそんだ覚えがない、（中略）五月人形の中心は大きな鎧・兜が でん と置かれ、その両脇に弓や鯉のぼりなどが ぶら下がっている作り方が多い。幼い子が手に持って遊べるものではないのだ」（著書『小黒三郎の世界No.4 組み木の節句人形2』）。 「子どもが主役のお節句なのに、お節句人形が目の前に飾ってあるだけ、触りたいけれど触れない、なんて満足できないよね」とも。

そうした経験をもとに小黒さんは、子どもが堂々と、そして喜々として触ってあそべる組み木の節句人形を長年つくり続けてこられました。五月人形も今の子どもたちが遊べるように、「いくさ」の道具を中心にするのではなく、桃太郎と赤鬼、青鬼、イヌ、サル、キジ、金太郎とクマ、そして鯉のぼりなどをモチーフとして登場させています。

＊子どもの成長とともに育つ、お節句飾り
触ってあそぶと、せっかくの白木がよごれてしまう・・・。そう気にされる方もいます。けれど逆に、手の脂分がオイル代わりにもなるので、しまう前に乾いた布で拭くだけで年々いい色に変化して、独特の木の味わいがでてきます。 子どもたちへの愛情が込められた小黒さんの組み木の季節人形。子どもの成長を見守り続け、生涯のともだちになってくれます。
※色付けされた部分は、飾っているうちに色が褪せてくることがあります。これは自然な経年変化ですが、気になる場合は「お色直し」が可能です（有償となります）。また、パーツなどのお取り寄せについても、ご相談ください。

Wooden May Dolls truly for Playful Children. Perfectly Fit in the Special Round Box.

The most significant feature of Saburo Oguro's “Kumiki no Sekku Doll” is that these wooden dolls are not just for display but also for children to play with. While feeling the gentle touch of the wood, children can decorate and play with the dolls, and put it back in a wooden frame by themselves.

Figures of Japanese Warriors and Kintaro are designed to fit perfectly in a round wooden frame. As the doll figures are cut out from a single board, they are connected by a series of wood grain. After the “Sekku” festival, please also cherish the time to put away the dolls with your family. What kind of conversation will be exchanged? Children would experience the best sense of accomplishment when each doll were settled in the box like a puzzle.

Saburo Oguro, a creator and designer of the Kumiki Doll, wrote: "I don't remember playing with the May doll, when I was a child, (...) Traditional style of the May doll is that large armor and headpiece were placed in the center of the May doll, bows and arrows and Koinobori (carp streamers) hung on both sides of it. It is not something that those young children can touch with their hands and play with. " (“The World of Oguro Sabro NO.4: Kumiki May Doll 2”, 2014) " Even though the main characters of the May festival are playful children, the dolls are just displayed in the room in front of them. How can those children would be satisfied, if they could not touch and play with their dolls?”

Based on such experience, Mr. Oguro has been making “Kumiki no Sekku Dolls” for many years, which children can play and touch with joy, and without hesitation. In order to hand down peace to today's children, Mr. Oguro’s May doll features the characters such as Momotarou and Aka-oni(red ogre), Ao-oni(blue ogre), Dog, Monkey, Kiji (pheasant), Kintaro and Bear, and Koinobori(carp streamers), instead of focusing on fighting tools such as armors and headpieces.

“Kumiki no Sekku Dolls” Matures with Children Growing Up

“If children touched and played with the dolls, the plain wood would get dirty ...”
Some people might be concerned about the condition and the maintenance of the dolls.
However, the oil on the palm can be a substitute for polishing oil. So, please just wipe them with a dry cloth before putting away. Then, the color of the surface will change year by year, and it gives original taste of the wood. The lovingly made “Kumiki no Sekku Dolls” by Mr. Oguro will watch over the growth of children and become friends throughout their lives.

* Color of the parts may fade while being used and displayed. It is a natural change over time, but if you mind the fade of the color, you can "re-color" (for a fee). Also, please contact us if you would like to order lost parts.