The National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) is a research center for ethnology and cultural anthropology.

Basket cradle

  • HI 0420
  • Akiyama, Nagano Prefecture
Basket cradle

Straw baskets to hold babies were called izumi, ejiko, tsubura, etc., in different parts of the country. When a family was too busy to take care of a baby, they would put it in a basket cradle to keep it from accidents. Since rice was rarely grown in Akiyama, straw was very valuable there.

Neputa float (Fan-bearing neputa) | Masks | Yagorodon giant on festival-cart |
Ropes | Hiki-yama float | Interior of a peasant house in Nagano | Basket cradle |
Decoration for “Little New Year” | Futamune-zukuri homestead in Okinawa | Earthen pots for ashes