Akabeko Manufacturing Sho Bansho is a workshop that produces Akabeko, a papier-mache cow doll made in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture. Akabeko is said to have originated during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, when the lord, Ujisato Gamo, implemented a policy to promote industry and called in craftsmen to make toys and dolls for his samurai. There are various theories about the origin of Akabeko, but it is said to have been inspired by the legend of a red cow that played a role in the reconstruction of Enzo-ji Temple, which was destroyed by a major earthquake. Red is believed to have a protective effect, and it has been a custom among lower-ranking samurai in Aizu to give Akabeko as a charm to protect children from disasters and wish for their healthy growth.
4.1