Koma spinning top

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Spinning Top 独楽（コマ） koma

Turning round and round, like the four seasons, everything goes well. The spinning top is an auspicious symbol for a good harvest and the well-being of family and business.

I have quite a few spinning Daruma tops in my collection.


Darumakoma だるまこま



All kinds of spinning tops from Japan !
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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quote
A top, or spinning top, is a toy that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point. This motion is produced by holding the axis firmly while pulling a string. An internal weight then rotates, producing an overall circular motion. The top is one of the oldest recognizable toys found on archaeological sites.

Besides toys, tops have also historically been used for gambling and prophecy. Some role-playing gamers still use tops to augment dice in generating randomized results; it is in this case referred to as a spinner. A thumbtack may also be made to spin on the same principles.

Spinning tops are thought to have originated in ancient Egypt about 1000 BC and examples of spinning tops have also been found in Greece dating from around 700 BC.

Japanese tops are considered some of the very best in the world with new and inventive designs coming out each year.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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Daruma koma yellow 達磨独楽




Daruma koma red




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itobiki Darumakoma 糸引きだるまこま
with a long thread




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uranai Oyako Daruma for divination
占い親子ダルマ



We often use it to figure out who is doing the dishes after a party !


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uranai IROHA koma
いろはに独楽
The Japanese alphabet I RO HA NI is written.





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ategoma 当て独楽（コマ）to divine something
about 10 cm high and 6 cm wide

The numbers 1 to 6 are painted.






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ategoma Kokeshi Daruma
当て独楽 (こま) 　こけしだるま







and one more kokeshi, with a fierce look

. . . CLICK here for "Spinning Top" Photos !


. uranai　占い fortune telling, divination .
- Introduction -

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H A I K U

kigo for late autumn

beigoma (baigoma) べい独楽（べいごま）
spinning tops made from shells
Muschel-Kreisel
bai mawashi ばい廻し (ばいまわし / 海蠃廻し)

BAI are special conch shells that were used as spinning tops in the Edo period. The conches were opened and the inside filled with wax or lead to make them heavy. They were especially used befor the 9th day of the 9th month of the Chrysanthemum festival. This was not only a toy for children, even grownups enjoyed a game. Later the tops were made of metal. The top of an opponent has to be kicked out of the box or round.
Now these tops are also used during the New Year holidays.
A play of words with BAI, to come back to you manifold. 福が倍にくる

Here are more related KIGO
. Autumn ... Games as Kigo 　


kigo for the New Year

koma 独楽 (こま) spinning top
Kreisel
. Things done at the New Year 　


澄みきつて独楽の廻れり冬日和
sumikitte koma no mawareri fuyu biyori

such clearness
as the top spins around -
fine winter day

Tanaka Fuyuji 田中冬二 (1894 - 1980)
Tr. Gabi Greve

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独楽にまでうつる右利き左利き
koma ni made utsuru migi-kiki hidari-kiki

it even shows
when spinning tops - right-handed
left-handed

Takenaka Hekisuishi 竹中碧水史 (1029 - )
Tr. Gabi Greve

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独楽打ちの生き残りみな老いにけり
koma-uchi no ikinokori mina oi ni keri

even the winners
of spinning top games . . .
all are getting old

Yamanoue Kazuichi 山上和一
Tr. Gabi Greve

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kurukuru to koma no yoo ni genki de ne

round and round
like a spinning top -
stay healthy


A New Year haiga, written for a grandchild

Hisae no E-tegami
http://www.geocities.co.jp/PowderRoom-Lavender/9389/book_109.html

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a top spins -
pattern on the shell
of a snail

Elaine Andre
Joys of Japan, February 2012

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. hina matsuri 雛祭り Hina Doll Festival .
Girls Festival, March 3

komabina 独楽雛 hina dolls as spinning tops
so the children could play with them.
They come in small numbers or a full hina display.


source and more hina dolls :　edoya/ohinasama

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. Saga Folk Art - 　佐賀県　 - Karatsu .

Karatsu no koma 唐津の独楽
spinning tops from Karatsu
Karatsugoma 唐津独楽


source :　My favorite corner
kenkagoma 喧嘩独楽 spinning top for fighting
This is a toy for fighting hard by hitting the other person's top, thrown from above. Therefore it is made from strong local wood　マテバシイ mateba shii oak, Pasania edulis Makino.
It is decorated with red, blue and green stripes.
It is similar to the
. Yamegoma 八女独楽 spinning top from Yame .
from Fukuoka.

. kenka-goma けんかごま from Ume 宇目 .
Oita

. shii 椎 Shii oak - Castanopsis cuspidata - .

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. Miyagi Folk Art - 宮城県　　 - Osaki .
keibagoma, keiba no koma 競馬ごま "horse-race spinning top”
In the middle is a large spinning top with a long handle. Two smaller tops are spinning on its surface until one is thrown off and out.

and - from Kanagawa, Odawara 小田原
keigagoma are also called
chirachiragoma ちらちらごま "flimmering tops"
since the two or more smaller tips make your eyes flimmer.



- Look at more samples here:
- source : koma/jiten/2-page -

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- quote -
Ooyama-koma　大山こま Oyama Spinning Tops
Oyama top is a traditional toy made in the mountain area of Oyama, Isehara City, Kanagawa Pref.



Mt. Oyama has been worshipped by the local people since ancient days. In the middle of Edo period, when the religious faith in Mt. Oyama was at its peak, turners in this area began to make tops as a souvenir for the people who visited to worship Mt. Oyama, using abundant timbers and their traditional skills in turnery.
In Japan, a spinning top is associated with everything going round well, so a top is considered to be a lucky item to bring well-being of a family, success in business, and bumper crops. This simple and massive top with a history of 300 years is one of a few excellent examples of the toy that are still made with traditional skills. Its folkloric colored stripe patterns in harmony with the texture of wood give very homely impression.
- source : nippon-kichi.jp -

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. Spinning tops from Yubara, Okayama .

. Sumo　相撲 　Sumo wrestling dolls .
sumoo koma 相撲コマ spinning tops with Sumo wrestlers

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. donkorogoma どんころ独楽 - Introduction
Donkoro spinning top for gambling .


- reference : asahi-net.or.jp/~RP9H-TKHS -

. Bakuchi 博打 Gambling Daruma Dice Holder .

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. Tokyo and Edo Folk Art .



Edo koma, Edo-koma　江戸独楽　spinning top from Edo / Tokyo

Three tops of different size are brought to spin on a special tray.
Street performances with spinning tops on a rope, a handfan or a sword blade were also popular in Edo.

kyokugoma, kyoku-goma 曲独楽　acrobatics with spinning tops


CLICK for more photos !

- quote -
Masaaki Hiroi
makes traditional super spinner (kyoku-goma) tops which are used by traditional spinning top jugglers for their professional performances. A very simple top but which needs highly trained craftsman to create the best balance and spinning movement.
- source : edo-spinning-tops-by-masaaki-hiroi -

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The 松井源水　Matsui Gensui family from Asakusa

- quote -
Matsui Gensui was a famous top spinner, equilibrist and juggler in Edo.


- wikipedia -

In a later generation the family travelled to Europe, around 1867.



Gensui with his wife Hana, their daughters Mitsu and Saki.
From 1867 onwards he and his family performed travelled all over Europe, sometimes in the company of other artists, performing their astonishing array of tricks.
- source : 19thcenturyphotos.com -


. daidoogei 大道芸 Daidogei street performance in Edo .

. Asakusa 浅草 district in Edo .


komashi 独楽師 making spinning tops
Spinning tops became a well-loved hobby of the grown-ups in Edo since the Genroku period (1688 - 1704). It was also a means of boys to find boy-friends.
. nanshoku、danshoku 男色 homosexuality in Edo .
Since this was becomming too obvious, the Bakufu government banned spinning tops in the year 1701.
The children of Edo were only using beigoma, spinning tops made from shells.
Since 1830 spinning tops from metal were sold.
Making spinning tops of wood was a side-business in Edo. The wood was first roughly cut, then smoothed with a file. After applying some colors it was covered with wax and polished.
Some tops were attached to a rope and used like ヨーヨー Yo-yo.


source : driveplaza.com/special/onihei

They were most popular in Nagasaki and called
tsurigoma 釣り独楽　"fishing spinning tops"
or teguruma, te-guruma 手車 "hand wheel".


source : yamada.sailog.jp/weblog
teguruma uri 手車売り vendor of a "hand wheel" toy

. Edo shokunin 江戸の職人 Edo craftsmen .

. kendama けん玉 cup and ball and Yo-Yo .

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. Tengupedia - 天狗ペディア　- Tengu ABC-List .



And one from Kawagoe, see the comments.

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a drunk tiger
on my road to happiness -
this long summer night



An amazing resource of spinning tops of all kinds
by 広井政昭作 Hiroi Masaaki (1935 - )
江戸独楽職人 広井政昭さん / 神奈川県海老名市上今泉1-16-1
- - - - - start exploring from here :
- source : park15.wakwak.com/~eohashi/hiroimokuji-
- even a special about 江戸 カラクリ独楽 Edo Karakuri Koma
- source : eohashi/karakuri -

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