This beautiful little karakuri doll was originally designed and built by Tanaka Hisashige in the late Edo period. Karakuri is a word that refers to the mechanisms that work a machine. This doll works on a mainspring (i.e., you have to wind it up for action), and actually pulls an arrow out of the fan beside him, puts it to his bow, aims, and fires at a target! Kit includes everything you'll need to build the doll, including the bow and arrows, the target, and the box on which the boy is kneeling (with shoji screens, even!); some tools are included (winding knob, tweezers, screwdriver, peg driver, oil), and other things you will need to provide (ruler, clothespin, toothpick, scissors).

Don't be intimidated by the apparent complexity of the kit. The instructions are laid out very clearly, step-by-step, with illustrations at each stage of completion so you can compare your construction against them. With a little patience you'll be able to impress friends and family with your clever little Bow-Shooting Boy!

Tips from HLJ Staff:

• Ensure you have all the pieces -- lay them out on your workspace and double-check.
• Read the instructions thoroughly before you begin to build the kit.
• Read the instructions again.
• If you're ever not clear on the wording of some of the instructions, check the illustrations to make sure what's in front of you looks like it does in the booklet. Sometimes seeing what it should look like will make the wording clearer.
• Stringing the internal mechanisms (attaching the body parts to the cams that move them) is the hardest part of the whole kit, but it is also extremely important. Read through the instructions on stringing before you even start cutting string -- the instructions booklet emphasises this too, for a reason!
• Adjusting the strings after the stringing has been done is fiddly and time-consuming; this part ensures that the bow-shooting actions are completed smoothly and that they're perfectly-timed. Don't rush through the adjustments; once the kit is completed and the clothing is on, adjustments will be extremely difficult (some will be impossible without taking the whole doll apart). So take your time and don't settle for "good enough" -- make it perfect, and you'll have something to be proud of when you're done.
• If at any time you feel like taking the whole thing and throwing it out the window, it's time for a break.
• Be careful of small parts (including the arrows), which might be easily-swallowed by kids or pets.
• If you don't have a display case in which to put the completed Bow-Shooting Boy, you might want to invest in the Presentation Box (linked below), which is designed to keep the Bow-Shooting Boy pristine and safe.

Download the English-language instructions booklet. (PDF)