This doll, named O-hana-san, is an ichimatsu ningyo, a doll meant for play rather than for display. The doll's face and body parts are painted ceramic. She has short, chin-length hair, glass eyes, and an open mouth showing teeth that are just coming in. She is made to look like a child, about three years old, in a long-sleeved furisode kimono. She is wearing a total of four kimono layers, not including her jacket: the innermost kimono/undergarment is a light red cotton fabric, the second layer is cream-colored crepe fabric with light-blue swirls of water or smoke, the third layer is made of a solid red crepe fabric, and the fourth (the outermost) layer of crepe fabric is covered in summer flower motifs (wisteria on the sleeves, irises at the hem area, and peonies and a bird on the shoulders). Each one of the kimono has a different name, and they are ordered in a very specific way. These are her best clothes: to play about, she would not wear this many layers, and to go to bed she would wear only the two inner kimono.
She wears a red brocade obi (sash), tied in a bow in the back. Her jacket/overcoat (called a michiyuki) has a square neckline and collar; it is held closed by a decorative knotted orange tassle. The jacket features a design of sakura (cherry blossoms), lilies, pine, and chrysanthemums. The fabric is possibly crepe, with a vibrant red silk for interior lining. Her clothing overall has visible stitching that gives it a handmade quality. The doll comes with several objects, including: two futons (bedding), a pillow, two zabuton (cushions), a large square cushion, and a bean bag pouch with five bean bags.
Ichimatsu ningyo dolls represent little girls or boys. They are realistically proportioned and usually have flesh-colored skin and glass eyes. The original ichimatsu dolls were named after an 18th-century kabuki actor. These dolls are usually made for play: to hold in the arms, dress, and pose. Baby boy dolls were most popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, but the 1927 Friendship Doll exchange between Japan and the United States increased the popularity of little girl dolls wearing elaborate kimono.
