Miss Oita is an Ambassador of Goodwill (Japanese Friendship Doll).
In the spring of 1927, Japanese school children sent 58 doll ambassadors to the United States. In response, American school children sent 2,739 doll messengers of friendship to Japan. This goodwill act was carried out under the auspices of the Committee on World Friendship Among Children, instituted by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America.
Miss Oita came from the Prefecture of Oita, Japan, and was given to the Museum in 1928. The doll has a pale face with painted features, shoulder length dark hair and a highly detailed costume consisting of three furisode style (long-sleeved) kimonos secured with an obi with a scarf-like obiage and a cord tie (obijime). Her feet are covered with white split toe socks (tabi). The mount is likely cedar, grass mat and metal.
Miss Oita was recently conserved by the Williamstown Art Conservation Center in Williamstown, MA, and restored to original condition.
