Chahakobi Ningyo (tea carrying doll)

<made by the mechanical engineering department, tokyo metropolitan university>
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. 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.