Japanese people have long carried infants on their backs when going about their work. However, such tools have rarely been studied and their details have never been clarified, although their names and simple shapes have been passed down through generations in various regions.
Kooi-obi in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture and mokko in Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, are two examples of back carrying tools that have been handed down through the generations and their production methods are still available. Although the kooi-obi is preserved through various pieces of literature, there is no evidence of its recent production and it was only used by a certain group of people that included wealthy farmers and landowners. The mokko in Amakusa, in contrast, is popular among residents of the island and has been used since the Meiji period, although no literature is available regarding it. It was a useful childrearing item for caregivers to enable them to be engaged in the main local industry of fisheries and it is still used as one of the tools for childrearing as it is easy to operate, comfortable, and can be used in different ways due to its form.
