KARAKURI dolls as a background in which Japan was able to accept the modern mechanical technology

抄録

There were toys that were called KARAKURI dolls in Japan during the Edo era, 1603-1867. Even though they were toys, their insides, that enable dolls' complicated movements, include elaborate machine mechanisms which are common in the modern machine technology. In this research, it was analyzed that the advanced KARAKURI technologies background were one factor allowing Japan smoothly import and develop the modern machine technologies, by comparing the internal mechanism of KARAKURI dolls of Edo era with Reuleaux models which are considered to be the Western modern typical fundamental machine mechanisms. The mechanisms of KARAKURI dolls were referred to in the machine technical book "KARAKURI-ZUI" of Edo era.