タイトル：

だるま (daruma)
daruma

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だるまがテーマの独楽。だるまは伝統的な日本の人形で、そのモデルになっているのは仏教禅宗の開祖とされている菩提達磨である。だるまがよく丸い形で表現されるのは、菩提達磨が壁を見つめて座禅を九年もの間 続けたので腕と脚が取れてしまったという伝説から来ている。だるまの伝統的な色は赤であるが、他の色もあり、色によってそれぞれ意味もある。どの色も幸運のシンボルとして考えられている。

この独楽は逆立ち独楽という種類の独楽である。十分な速度で回すと、上下逆さになって軸が下になって、逆立ちして回るように作られている。

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廣井道顕：これはやっぱり、だるまだけど、多分何かこの中に入ってるんだと思うんだけど。

ジャネル・ランディス：逆立ちだってね。

廣井：何か入ってるね。何が―

ジャネル：紐。これは大きい頭は、そして―

廣井：回るんだ。

ジャネル：逆立ち。

廣井：あぁそう？あぁ、逆立ちすんだ。

ジャネル：It’s one of the last ones I got from him.

廣井：あぁそうかもしれないね。この形は。

ジャネル：そう。You use it by putting the head down and putting this on, and you pull the string.

廣井：「開運」とか、絵があんのね。

ジャネル：It’s a nice one.

Title:

鬼の子と桃太郎 (oni no ko to momotarō)
Momotarō and the oni’s child

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This top depicts Momotarō, sometimes translated as “The Peach Boy,” or “Peach Tarō,” a legendary figure originating in the Edo period (1600-1868). In many versions of the Momotarō legend, Momotarō is a boy who came to Earth inside a giant peach who is discovered by an elderly couple who then raise him. He later leaves his home to fight a band of demons on a distant island, meeting a talking dog, a monkey, and a pheasant on the way who joint him in his quest. Most versions of the legend end with Momotarō defeating the demons, taking their treasure and their chief captive, and then returning home to live happily ever after with his parents.

In this top, Hiroi-sensei has depicted Momotarō babysitting the peach he was born from, which he carries on his back. The oni (ogre) is making fun of him for it and chasing him around taunting him.

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Hiroi Michiaki: Umm, ah, this is Momotaro, Momotaru as a babysitter. On his back, he’s carrying the peach that he was born from, and he’s babysitting it. The oni (ogre) is making fun of him and from behind he’s yelling, “Hey! Hey!” Momotaro’s dejectedly carrying the peach. My own little brother didn’t understand what it was– [Momotaro] carrying the peach.  

タイトル：

鬼の子と桃太郎 (oni no ko to momotarō)
Momotarō and the oni’s child

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江戸時代（1600-1868年）が起源の伝説上のキャラクター、桃太郎を表現した独楽である。桃太郎の伝説には様々な種類の話があるが、どの話でも桃太郎は巨大な桃から生まれ、桃を見つけた老夫婦に育てられている。後に遠くの島にいる鬼を退治するために家を離れ、その道中で出会った話しのできる犬、猿、キジを鬼退治の仲間に引き入れる。どの話でも桃太郎が鬼を倒し、鬼の親玉を捕らえ、宝を持ち帰って育ての親である老夫婦と幸せに暮らすという終わり方をしている。

この独楽で、廣井先生は桃太郎が自分が生まれ出てきた桃をおんぶして子守をする姿を表現した。鬼は桃の子守をする桃太郎を馬鹿にしておいかけ回している。

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廣井道顕：うんと、あぁ、これは、桃太郎が、桃太郎が、子守だ。桃太郎が自分が出てきた桃をしょって、あの、子守をしてるのね。それを鬼がからかって後ろからヤイヤイってからかってると。桃太郎がガッカリしながら持って。自分の弟になんのかわかんないから。桃をしょってるところ。

Title:

おちょこ (ochoko)
sake cup

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This top is called “sake cup” and depicts a person holding on tightly to an inverted umbrella during a strong typhoon. The title and the top together form a pun, as the inverted umbrella looks like a sake cup (ochoko) and will collect water from the rain, which looks like sake. When the top is spun, the figure clatters about and looks like it is struggling to hold onto the umbrella in strong winds.

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Hiroi Michiaki: And this is– ah, this is “sake cup.” When it’s raining during a typhoon, on days when the wind is strong, your umbrella goes FWOOOSH and goes like this [inside out]. And [this figure] is doing their best to hold on.

Janell Landis: I received that eight years ago.

Hiroi: Yeah. If you spin this it clatters about and looks like they’re struggling [to hold on].

Title:

しし舞 (shishimai)
lion dance

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This work depicts a lion of the lion dance (shishimai 獅子舞), a type of performance believed to have been importing into Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Commonly associated with the Buddha’s birthday, the dance is performed in Japan around the New Year to drive off evil spirits and bring good luck. It may also be performed at other festivals, and the style of dance performed varies by region.

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Hiroi Michiaki: Um, this is the Lion Dance. The New Year’s Lion Dance. If you turn the tail over and over the neck spins about.

タイトル：

しし舞 (shishimai)
lion dance

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獅子舞がテーマの独楽である。獅子舞は唐朝時（618-907年）代に中国から日本へ伝来したとされる舞の一種である。釈迦の誕生に付随して、邪気を払い、縁起のいい年になるよう、正月の時季に披露される。また地域によっては、お祝いや祭りで披露されることもある。

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廣井道顕：うんとこれは獅子舞。お正月の獅子舞。これこの尻尾こうチュンチュンチュンと弾くとこの首がグルグル回るのね。

Title:

めおと鳥 (meoto tori)
spousal birds

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These tops are a pair of pheasants, featured together as a couple. Each of the pheasants can be removed from the base and parts of them become individual tops.

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Hiroi Michiaki: This is… ah, this is a sparrow. You unfasten these, and all of them are tops. Chummy sparrows. Hm? They aren’t sparrows. What are these? They’re pheasants. Pheasants. A pheasant couple. When you take these off they’re all tops. Pheasants, too, have all kinds of stories about them.

タイトル：

めおと鳥 (meoto tori)
spousal birds

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キジのつがいを、めおととして表現した独楽。それぞれのキジを土台から取り外すことができるようになっており、各パーツが独楽になるように作られている。

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廣井道顕：これは、あぁ、これは雀だ。これ外すとね、やっぱみな独楽になって。仲良し雀、ん雀でないな。これ何だっけ。キジだ。キジ。夫婦のキジ。これを外すとやっぱり独楽なってですね。キジもね、あの色々と謂れがあって。

Title:

天狗とおかめ (tengu to okame)
tengu and okame

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These tops feature a tengu and okame. Tengu are creatures from Japanese folklore that are considered a kind of kami (god/spirit) or yōkai (supernatural being). Although they are thought to take the form of birds, they are frequently depicted with both bird-like and human characteristics. Beginning around the 14th century, tengu began being depicted with a distinctive long nose. Tengu masks often depict the creatures as having bright red faces and extended, phallic noses. Okame is aｌso popular theme for masks in Japan, often seen in traditional kyogen or dengaku performances and festivals. Okame is a plain-faced woman, featured together here with the tengu probably as symbols of reproduction. These tops, featured as a pair, are spun together as a kind of amusing game. Even though they are shown as a couple, when they are spun the tengu’s nose often points away from the okame, and it looks as if they are not together.

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Hiro Michiaki: This is–

Paula Curtis: This is a tengu, right?

Hiroi: Yeah, this is a tengu and okame. You line them up and when you spin them, they don’t exchange glances. They face the other way. Heh heh heh.

Janell Landis: Kids like that.