These gothic Girls’ Day dolls are darker than a dark pit of dark darkness with the lights off

If Emily Strange were a Japanese girl, these are the dolls she would put up for Hinamatsuri.

March 3 is Girls’ Day, or Hinamatsuri, in Japan and its traditions go back to the Heian Period. These days, the most iconic part of Hinamatsuri are the dolls that are displayed in homes (and sometimes also stores) around the country. The dolls are often incredible pieces of art made with care — and they don’t come cheap either! Even so, the dolls usually spend most of the year locked away in storage, since it’s believed by most people in Japan that leaving the dolls out after the 3rd will reduce girls’ chances at marriage.

▼ You want to get married so you can inflict your suffering on someone else, right?

It may be too late to display these amazing dolls this year, but if the girl in question has more in common with Wednesday Addams than she does Lisa Frank, these are obviously the dolls you’ll want to get for next year! Inspired by goth lolita fashion, there’s no doubt they’re as stylish as they are macabre — not to mention simply beautiful.

They’re also handmade by Yukako Goto, a Gifu-based dollmaker, who has explains that her goal is to make dolls that will appeal to women as well as girls, so they can be enjoyed for years to come. We’d say she succeeded! And now we’re also a little sad that tradition insists they not be displayed every day.

Yukako adds that she’s trying to both keep traditional elements of Japanese culture alive while imbuing them with modern sensibilities. We have to admit we never thought we’d see goth lolita Hinamatsuri dolls, but in the hands of an expert like Yukako, it works beautifully.

Of course, Yukako has crafted numerous dolls, so we don’t want you to think she’s purely doom and gloom! Here are a few of her other pieces.

Prices are not listed on her website, but a note does mention that doll prices start around 180,000 yen (US$1,578) and typically range from 200,000 yen ($1,753) to 400,000 yen ($3,500). So you may want to start saving now for next year…or maybe next decade.

Source: Goto Dolls, Grape
Images: Goto Dolls

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