NDSU donates 1927 Japanese Friendship doll Miss Okayama to North Dakota Historical Society

The NDSU Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection is transferring the Japanese Friendship doll, Miss Okayama, to the State Historical Society of North Dakota on Thursday, July 16.

“The doll has been at NDSU since 1973, and there have been several stories published about her over the years,” said Susan Curtis, NDSU director of special collections. “While we valued having her here, she will be able to be exhibited more frequently and her story shared more widely as part of the State Historical Society’s museum collection.”

Miss Okayama was part of a friendship doll exchange between the children of Japan and the children of the United States in 1927. In March of 1927, approximately 13,000 friendship dolls were given by America for Japan’s Hina Matsuri, a doll festival. American missionary Sidney Gullick promoted the sending of the dolls to Japan, attaching a message of friendship to each one. Miss Okayama was one of 58 dolls sent to America from Japan in gratitude for the friendship dolls given by America to many schools throughout Japan.

Initially, Miss Okayama was kept in the Masonic Library in Fargo, then the doll was moved to the Red Cross office in the early 1960s, before arriving at NDSU in 1973. At NDSU, it became a part of the Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection, where it was displayed in the resource room. When elementary students visited the resource room, an NDSU curator would share the history of the doll exchange, the kimono and other doll accessories. However, after noticing damage to the doll, it was displayed less often.

In 2001, Miss Okayama traveled back to Japan to repair damage to the doll, including a split in the left leg, cracks on the back of the neck, near the ears and damage to the connecting parts of the shoulders and knees. Additionally, her kimono, which had been faded by the sun, could be repaired as well.

“We are delighted by NDSU’s generous donation of Miss Okayama and her accessories to our museum collection,” said Kimberly Jondahl, State Historical Society of North Dakota audience engagement and museum department director. “People of Japanese descent have shaped North Dakota communities since the early days of statehood. This doll will help our staff tell the important story of international diplomacy during a period of restrictive immigration policy. While Miss Okayama was a goodwill symbol of the 1920s, her message of encouraging international friendships and peace continues to be relevant.”