This study purposed to examine life histories, particularly that of Hiroji Hashimoto, to elucidate individual motivations to work as a mingei (fork art) craftsperson, an occupation that is often undervalued in Japanese society. We focused on motivation because it enabled us to respond to the social issue of a lack of successors and intensify our understanding of the produced artworks. This study explored the motivations of Hiroji Hashimoto [1945–] of Koriyama City in Fukushima Prefecture. Hashimoto has worked as a folk toy craftsperson for more than half a century but was compelled to question his impetus when he shifted to focusing primarily on toy crafting because he found it difficult to sustain this occupation in his environment. The idea of beauty with functionality (Kokoro no Yo) posited by the mingei movement kept him engaged. Folk toys do not represent aesthetically sophisticated craftwork; nor are they considered practical goods. However, Hashimoto reinterprets the notion of beauty with functionality and creates folk toys precisely because these familiar objects lack specific utilities or roles. He believes that his folk toys generate social value by bringing enjoyment and play into people’s lives.

This study focuses on the migration experiences of middle-aged Chinese women from Northeast (Tohoku) China, a region connected historically to Japan. These women, who intermarried and moved to Northeast Japan in the 1990s, have established roots and built lives in the region despite having to endure layered hardships stemming from the wounds of Manchukuo and the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. This study contemplates the historical context of Manchukuo, illuminates the rapid changes occurring in the region, and describes the weakening of the Industrial Danwei System in Northeast China after the 1980s to grasp why these women chose to confront the pain of the two Tohokus. It recounts the life stories of Haru and Matsu as segments of the grand narrative of societal transition and post-3/11 recovery to emphasize the reconstruction of their lives in shifting environments. The study also probes their evolving understanding of Northeast Japan in light of their past experiences in Northeast China.