This doll is modeled after Kanpei, a samurai from the “Kanadehon Chushingura.” The story of Chushingura is about 47 samurai that take revenge for their lord who was shamed and forced to commit seppuku (suicide). It is based on the true story that occurred in 1701. Hanpei is portrayed as a handsome player who was busy playing around with Okaru, when the lord Asano committed seppuku. After his master’s death, he was shamed but he ended up going to Okaru’s father’s farm and tried to make a living by hunting. Kanpei is the lead character in Act 5 and 6 of the play. The scene starts with Hanpei caught in the rain while hunting with the match cord of a gun that will not light. The play first opened in 1748, 47 years after it actually happened in Takemoto Theater (Jyoruri puppet theater in Osaka) and followed by Kabuki next year. The play, Chushingura, has been a guaranteed blockbuster to theaters since. The names of the characters and the era were changed (set back to Kamakura period) for fear of the government censorship.

We sometimes find amazing textiles on Takeda dolls just like this one. The jacket is made from old silk stripes called Kando or Kanto, named from Kanton, China, where the fabric originally came from (one of theories). Cotton stripes were later brought from India (and surrounding areas) on a different trading route. There are some damages probably from the dyes in different areas. The arm holding the gun (little heavy) is loose and putting the arm back has caused some damage to the textile on the sleeve and shoulder area. To prevent further damages, it may be better to use glue (on the metal part) when we put the arm back next time. We may do so before shipment. The stand consists of three pieces. Total 15 inches tall, the doll is 11 1/4 inches tall.

EXTRA: I found an interesting article (originally in Japanese Wikipedia) during the research. I thought it was worth mentioning:

There was much censorship placed on Japanese arts during the occupation by the Americans after WWII. Kabuki was considered to have strong ties with militarism. There was one American soldier who helped bridge the huge gap between the two different cultures.

Before the war began, Major Faubion Bowers had seen Kabuki in 1940 when he was a 23 year old post graduate on his way to the Netherlands East Indies. During his short stay in Tokyo, he walked into a Kabuki theater mistaking it for a temple. He watched "Kanadehon Chushingura" and was so impressed with the play that he extended his stay to a year. After returning home, he took up intensive Japanese language classes in San Francisco. He was back to Japan when the war ended, but this time as an assistant to General MacArthur. He was the initial translator between General MacArther and the emperor. He took a pay cut when he resigned from the post requesting to work where he could control the censorship. He understood Kabuki as a human drama. He lifted them one after the other. When it came to "Chushingura" which involves Kamikaze like royalty and bloody seppuku, he suggested Mr. Ohya (from Shochiku) what they need to do: Present it with the best casts to the Americans and requested that Gyokubai be included in the case.

Two years after the war ended on November, 1947, "Kanadehon Chushingura" opened in Tokyo with the best possible cast ever whom Major Bowers picked every one of them. It was held at a time when Tokyo was mostly destroyed and many were lost and starving. A little entertainment was available to the American GIs. Kikugoro Onoe VI played this Kanpei character. (The last photo #12 was copied from my old book published in the Taisho period.) The Kikugoro in the photo may possibly be Kikugoro V, the father to Kikugoro VI.

Major Bowers did much more than saving Kabuki for the people. The Kabuki actors themselves truly devoted their lives. Gyokubai died next year and three others (out of 12) including Kikugoro VI in the following year. Chushingura is a good example to understand Japanese sentiment. He must have been the best ambassador for the Japanese when understanding was needed.