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Psychological Connections with Ningyo:
Loss, Trauma & Bereavement
Dolls in Japan have been, and are often, inextricably tied to trajectories of
trauma, bereavement and loss. There is a further indication, I believe, that
for some Japanese people the loss of a doll, itself, for whatever reason can
represent a traumatic experience. This is largely due to the customary
superstition that a ningyō possesses a soul.
This trauma, though, is not always connected with grief and can often
be associated with fear, especially if the departed has displayed a forceful or
determined personality in life. Writes Pate:
In traditional Japanese belief systems, the spirits of departed heroes or individuals
of strong character could affect daily life long after their deaths. These spirits could
be invoked to help protect and defend. The animating strength which gave these
heroes an uncommon life, helping them to accomplish their goals or to die with
great bravery and self-sacrifice, did not die with their passing. 65
This same strength of spirit could easily be manifested as negative or
harmful energy as much as positive or protective.
That these beliefs are still pertinent in Japan is emphasised in the
continuing existence of ritual practices, or “rites of separation” (kuyō),
considered appropriate in the separation of an owner from his/her doll.
“A doll that has been played with by a child [for example] is widely held to
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