SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — An exchange of “friendship dolls” with Japan more than 80 years ago has turned into an enduring tie for a Spokane museum.
The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture has a doll named Miss Tokushima that is one of 44 dolls still accounted for. They were created by Japanese artisans and sent to the United States in the 1920s in return for thousands of blue-eyed American dolls that were sent to Japanese children by a missionary.
Miss Tokushima recently returned to Spokane from an eight-month trip to Japanese museums where she was displayed with one of the American dolls named Alice.
The Spokesman-Review reports Miss Tokushima was refurbished during her visit, renewing the good will.
___
Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com
