ABSTRACT
Although the modern Japanese city of Hirosaki is little more than one hour's flight from Tōkyō, it is not well known outside of Japan. Aomori prefecture, of which Hirosaki is one of the largest cities, has a long history of isolation, both geographical and climatic, and for this reason it has retained a cultural autonomy that has disappeared elsewhere in Japan. Its traditions and customs, arts and handicrafts are unique to the area. Human-shaped clay figures, called Dogu, dating as far back as 10,000 B.C. to the Jomon (10,000-300 B.C.) and Yayoi (300 B.C.-A.D. 300) periods, have been found in the prefecture. It is not known whether these are toys, jewelry, or religious artifacts.
