The most famous automaton during the Edo period was the “Chahakobi Ningyo (Tea-serving doll).” After its spring is wound up and a tea cup placed in its hands by the host it moves toward a guest, stops when the guest picks the cup up, and then turns around and returns to the host once the guest has returned the cup.

Western countries also have automata that can walk and play music, but strangely enough they do not have any automata which can serve something directly to guests as the tea-serving doll can. The look of an automaton about 40 cm high carefully bringing you a cup of tea is so adorable that it just makes you want talk about it.

The mechanism used in the doll was exactly the same as that used in Japanese clocks at the time. That Japanese clock was very practical in that it took into account the length of days and nights which changed along with the four seasons. It was a type of clock made only in Japan. The mechanical clock developed in Western countries around the 13th century was introduced into the Orient in about the 17th century.

After the development of the mechanical clock religious leaders and rulers in Western countries took the initiative of adjusting the social system at that time to it. However, the Western-style mechanical clock was of no use in agricultural countries such as China and Japan. Emperors of China displayed them as Qing clocks and Ieyasu Tokugawa even made a room for clocks in Edo Castle, however they considered them fancy ornaments or toys.

However, once peace had been realized and the technology became available to not only the nobility but also ordinary people in Japan cutting-edge mechanical clocks spread not as toys for use by limited people but as Japanese clocks for the practical use in society.

Chahakobi Ningyo (Tea-serving doll)
Made by Shobei Tamaya IX, possessed by National Science Museum


It stops when the guest picks the cup up, and turns around and returns the host when the guest puts the cup back.
(Click the image to see the movie.
1 minute and 3 seconds, 9,813KB)

Perpetual Clock
Possessed by Toshiba Corporation, exhibited at National Science Museum)

As shown by the Japanese clock and automata the Japanese people did not adjust their lifestyles to machines but rather adjusted machines to their lifestyles. Japanese people cherish tools which were made to conform to the body or hands of each individual user.

People can improve their individual abilities through use of tools. Shoes and sportswear for athletes are good examples of that. Japanese people viewed and treated machines such as clocks and automata as that kind of tool.

Our attachment to automata would appear to be similar to how tools are treated so affectionately by manufacturers and users.

Takayuki Furuta
Director of Future Robotics Technology Center of Chiba Institute of Technology

Engaged in developing humanoid robots as the leader of the Kitano Symbiotic System Project, JST robot development group. Has been the director of the Future Robotics Technology Center of Chiba Institute of Technology since June 2003. Developed the humanoid robot “morph3” in 2002 and “Hallucigenia 01” which was produced by integrating automobile technology with robot technology in 2003.