A paper maché mold (hariko) that originated in Hikone, near Lake Biwa. The form resembles Daruma, a monk who is said to have meditated for years until he lost his arms, but the atypical shape suggests a regional craft variant. An article (in Japanese) from 2015 details a gentleman who turned up 7 similar molds in Hikone, which marked the first time such molds were found in the region. Hariko are made by pasting recycled paper around a breakable wooden mold, removing the mold, and painting the paper to complete it. Most of them were used as gifts to celebrate children’s birthdays. During the Edo period, hariko were made in wealthy cities such as Kyoto and Osaka. A highly unusual example.