The times . . . well, it's a lot to bear. So let's distract ourselves with a lot of bear. Shown here, an extra large hand-carved bear from Hokkaido, Japan.
Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan, up in the chilly North. Its capital, Sapporo, is known for its namesake beer. The island was once populated by the Ainu people—who lived on Hokkaido, in Southeastern Russia, and on the string of islands which stretched between Japan and Russia. In ancient times, the Ainu maintained a "hunter gatherer" society, even while the rest of Japan developed a farming lifestyle. In time, however, through colonization and forced assimilation, the Ainu people conformed to the Japanese culture, economy and way of life. Today, Hokkaido is the most productive farming (and fishing) region in Japan—due to its arable acreage and less-dense human population. And, because of its northern geography, the island has become a popular summer destination for Japanese tourists wanting to escape the sultry heat of the southern cities.
Yoshichika Tokugawa was a feudal lord (head of an aristocratic family) from Hokkaido in the 1920's. While traveling through Bern, Switzerland, Tokugawa discovered the hand-carved wooden "Black Forest" bears which were famous in Switzerland and Germany. He bought a few and brought them back to Hokkaido—thinking that such carvings might be a suitable source of income for farmers during the frigid winter months. Hokkaido was home to the Ussuri Brown Bear, which (like the earlier Ainu people) lived on the Northern Japanese islands and in Southern Russia. The wooden bear carving took-off and was soon called kiburi kuma. It was common to show the bear with a salmon clenched in its jaws. On a visit to Hokkaido, the Emperor of Japan was presented with two such bears. The greatest artisans soon distinguished themselves—sometime by the skillful way they executed their "hairline carving" (that is, the delicate, naturalistic representation of the bear's swirling fur coat).
Sadly, the legacy of bear carving nearly has gone extinct on the island of Hokkaido. There is one remaining workshop which continues the tradition of kiburi kuma. One can visit the Yakumo Bear Woodcarving Museum where some three hundred bears—from the finest woodcarvers—are displayed with historical context.
The bear, shown above, is one of the largest I ever have collected. I found him while traveling (in London, not Bern) amongst the offerings of a Japanese dealer of antiques in England. He is nicely-carved and impressively-sized (and I often have considered keeping him for myself). He is dated 17 August 1979, which makes him a LEO. As he was being created, on the island of Hokkaido, I was preparing to enter my Junior year of high school, on the island of Oahu. The more I think about it, the more I want to keep him for myself! But, as I mentioned, these days there is a lot to bear. Perhaps this fellow wants to move-on to the next chapter, too.
Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome, impressive bear.
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