Skills of the masters

Each side is decorated with relief of passion flower

It is the most typical Japanese watch that adopted the squared balance mechanism. In general, the balance of twin-buffing mechanism's balance is longer for daytime (upper) than for night (lower).

The main body of the clock, with the nicho-tenpu mechanism, is put on a stand for hanging that is decorated with a beautiful design in mother-of-pearl inlay. The clock's main body adopts the most standard design for wadokei, which is a design of box-shape, or hakama-foshi, style, with its lower part open. On four sides of the body, a so-called arabesque design of franadilla is embossed. And for the bell-fixing screw, not a gardenia shape but a shape called warabi-te (fern rolled on itself) is adopted. THe machinery of the clock is made of iron and can be basically divided into jiho (the ticking mechanism) and daho (the bell-ringing mechanism). The train of gears (the number of rows) of this clock is less by one compared with a turret clock. Generally, it is considered that all of hanging clocks, turret clock, and pedestal clocks have the same clock body, and they are recognized by their names that show diggerence in the shape of mounting. By taking a look at the mechanism, we can tell that it needed to be hanged at some higher position, on a post or a wall, to allow enough distance for the plumb bob to come down. That's how we know this one was manufactured as a hanging clock.

Dai dokei (pedestal clock)

This timepiece is a mechanical body of brass watches whose circular governor is used as a speed governor,
It is placed on a beautifully curved four-legged foot made from rose wood.

The shaku dokei (ruler clock) is a wall-mounted clock in a rectangular case with a calibration below. One is able to read the time by looking at the moving hand along the scale. Compared to other Japanese clocks such as the yagura dokei (lantern clock) and makura dokei (pillow clock) , the shaku dokei (ruler clock) is simple in mechanism and inexpensive, thus resulting large production of this particular wadokei at the end of the Edo period. The vertical time scale of the shaku dokei (ruler clock) was very unusual among Western mechanical clocks. The shaku dokei (ruler clock), along with the double foliot escapment and the versatile dial mechanisms, ikkustrates the unique mechanical technology of wadokei in Japan. There are three types of scaled dials: the wearisome style dial where time is indicated using a sliding gold piece along the scaled dial; the setsuban style dial comprising of 7 separate dials having 13 differing scales corresponding to the Japanese temporal time system; and the haban style dial where time is graphed on a single dial according to seasons. The shaku dokei (ruler clock) on exhibit is an example of a setuban style dial.

The mechanism of the chahakobi doll is basically the same as the wadokei of this time; the doll carries the tea cup to customer has finished drinking the tea. The chahakobi ningyo was a popular mechanical doll during this period as evident form songs written by Saikaku Ihara.

Owari in Chubu region has been famous foro mechanical floats since the Edo period. It is said that Tmaya, sho made the chahakobi doll, moved from Kyoto to Nagoya in the middle of the Edo period to produce and repair these mechanical floats and presently Tmaya Shobei Ⅸ is in charge. THis mechanical doll uses whalefin springs, truely reproducing the chahakobi doll of the Edo period.

This is a chahokobi doll donated by the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Tokyo Metropolitan University in 1977. It is a reproduction according to the illustration of the Chahakobi Ningyo in the book titled Krakurizui (by Hanzo Hosokawa, 3 volumes) published in 1796. 

this gear...

is made of wood and makes a doll to archive complicated performance

Oranda Shisei Erekiteru Kyurigen consists of words dictated by Donsai Hashimoto in 1811. This manuscript was Japan's first technical manuscript pertaining to electricity. This manuscript describes various experiments for two kinds of ways toproduce electricity. For instance, there is an illustration of fire being obtained from the sky in Kumatoridani in Senshu (Izumi Province). Another diagram shows the process of frightening 100 people. A followe of Donsai Hashimoto transcribed the contents of his dictated words. The publication of his words was not permitted, and only this transcribed manuscript remains.

This portable pillow was used for travel in the Edo period (1600-1868). A small andon (lantern), a candle, an abacus, writing implements, and other objects can be stored compactly inside the wooden box. The small cushion that is attached was designed for use as a piollow at night.

Small portable lamp made of brass. By removing its fire grate and closing its legs, this candlestick can be compactly folded into a flat object that can be stowed in a pocker-sized wallet and carried around. Because of its shape it was also called a tsurukubi (crane-neck) candlestick.