This papier-mâché “Monkey Sanbaso” is created by a long-established doll maker in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, with a history dating back to the Edo period.
In Japan, the monkey is considered an auspicious symbol, as the word “saru” can also mean “to leave,” implying that misfortune will depart. The motif of a monkey performing the Sanbaso dance is therefore regarded as especially celebratory and fortunate.
