Dolls

The Immigration Act of 1924 prohibited East Asians from immigrating to the United States, which increased tension between the US and Japan. Dr. Sidney Gulick was a former missionary who spent time in Japan between 1888 and 1913. He was familiar with how important dolls are in Japanese culture, and to promote goodwill between the countries he initiated a program to send dolls from the US to children in Japan.

In 1927, the first project was to organize the sending of 12,739 friendship dolls, also known as American blue-eyed dolls to Japan. These dolls arrived in time for Hinamatsuri, the annual Japanese doll festival.

After receiving almost 13,000 dolls as gifts from American children in early 1927, Japan wanted to do something special to express their thanks. Eiichi Shibusawa, a Japanese businessman and educator, organized the collection of money from children throughout Japan to pay for the making of 58 special dolls to be sent to America.

Sadly, just 14 short years after America received the Japanese Friendship Dolls, Japan and the US were fighting each other in World War II. During the war, many of the Friendship Dolls were stored away, sold, or lost.