Yoshikazu Suematsu is a prominent specialist in the study of the art of Karakuri transported to the new era of robotics in companies with leading edge technology, which made Japan one of the world's economic superpowers. It is one of the renowned scholars of the Institute of Technology Aishi and honorary professor at Nagoya University.
In what historical and social context appear the karakuri and why?
Yoshikazu Suematsu: In Japan there is a tradition of the festivals. There's one in almost any towns in the country, where they show all types of mechanical dolls to entertain the crowd. We can say that they are a sort of wooden robots. The Japanese have a fascination, a great admiration and love for these dolls, whether are from wood, or the most current ones. From children to adults, in Japan there is great appreciation for these "robots", a sentiment that can be defined as caring for a family member. This type of Japanese culture in the factories helped develop the concept of robotics, because then appear the tradition of making mechanism to facilitate the work.
The figures represented are only Japanese heroes?
YS: There are many kinds. They can be heroes, but there are also characters that are taken from Japanese fairy tales, Kabuki Theater, or puppets. There are several elements used.
Do the young Japanese still value these Karakuri?
YS: I think so, are about 80 festivals where they show this kind of mechanical dolls. Young people continue to estimate this type of art. Over the last ten years, there is a movement in Japanese factories that uses this type of mechanisms, learn through the mechanical dolls to implement in factories. We call it kaizen, continuous improvement are in factories.
How this process works?
YS: It was a young man who created a mechanism to transport cargo from one point to another factory without spending any energy. The weight of the object moves the wheels (pictured). The idea came to him from a tea doll he saw as a child.
