Karakuri

Japan’s love of robots started in the Edo period

Japan is considered to be a country at the forefront of the robotics industry. But beyond having the pure compulsion to push technology forward and invent exciting new things, Japan is also known for having an affinity for these technological creations. Just as one example, a certain temple in Chiba offers a Buddhist funeral ritual for broken down robot dogs.

Those interested in Japan’s robot culture can easily experience it when visiting Tokyo. From Pepper, the humanoid helper that can be found at branches of Softbank, to the robot barista working in a coffee shop, these experiences are readily available. To experience it for myself, I visited the Honda showroom in Aoyama to see Asimo a few years ago. I was surprised to not only see a demonstration of Asimo’s amazing bi-pedal mobility, but he also sang a song and posed for photos with us at the end. Even more amazing to me than the cutting-edge technology on show, was my own reaction. I found myself clapping for him, and even giving him an encouraging smile from the front row as he performed.

(Photo by Maximalfocus on Unsplash)

But of course, Asimo isn’t that advanced. He can’t understand what a clap means in human society, he certainly can’t be encouraged by a smile, so where did that impulse come from? I too, had been taken in, and started to feel a sense of affinity towards a robot.

To understand why these bots are considered so lovable in Japanese culture, one can look back to some Edo period (1603-1868) inventions, which are thought of as proto-robots by some robot enthusiasts.

(Modern day karakuri made in 2007, source: PR Times)

Karakuri puppets are a type of mechanised doll, and were developed after Japanese craftsmen studied clock-making technology imported from Europe. The earliest examples were used on parade floats for festivals in around 1620, and then they were popularised by 1662. The clockwork secrets behind their creations were revealed in 1796, in the book Karakuri Zui.

(A karakuri automaton, c. 1800, British Museum by I, PHGCOM, CC BY-SA 3.0)

An important model detailed in this book is the karakuri doll which was produced to serve tea. This automated creation allows a host to place a cup of tea on the serving tray. Then the karakuri will dutifully deliver it to the guest and wait patiently until the tea has been drunk. When the empty cup is placed back on the tray, the doll turns around and returns the cup to the host.

Looking at the doll in this day and age, it’s obvious to us that the distance it travels is predetermined, and it is simply the weight of the cup that triggers the mechanism, causing the doll to move at the right moment. But much like the robots on display in modern day Tokyo, this was new and exciting technology, and it must have been an incredible attraction to witness at a 17th century tea party.

Similarly, the creations dreamed up by the Edo period karakuri masters can even be seen mirrored in today’s robotic technology in Japan. The dream of the inventor of the tea-serving karakuri now seems to be fully realised by the aforementioned Asimo from Honda, that can remember multiple drink orders by recognising voices, and of its own volition bring all these beverages to the right person.

The Edo period’s tea-serving mechanical doll is an example of a ‘zashiki karakuri’. This type of karakuri could be described as domestic servant robots, created with the potential of making life easier for humans. The tradition of using robots to fulfil the needs of guests continues today in Japan, with a whole robot hotel located in Nagasaki, complete with a dinosaur robot to check guests in, and a porter robot to transport luggage.

Another famous karakuri is the ‘arrow-shooting boy’ from the 19th century. This work was created by Hisashige Tanaka, who founded an engineering company which would go on to become Toshiba, a household name in the modern day.

What is particularly intriguing about the archer automation is that the craftsman wasn’t content with a mechanical doll that could fire an arrow and hit a target, an impressive creation on its own, but pains were taken to create a doll that could make life-like movements.

(A modern day arrow-shooting karakuri made in 1998, PR Times)

The natural gestures, human-like faces and beautiful clothing created by the karakuri craftsmen, all served to develop lovable robots that could inspire affection.

Honda’s Asimo was first designed to function as an assistant that could one day help people with mobility issues. Many of his abilities are purely practical and will help the humanoid robot fulfil this role. But Asimo’s bouts of singing, dancing, and playing football hint at a spirit which isn’t that different from the charming karakuri dolls of the past. What practical application could these functions have apart from inspiring a feeling of affection for your robot helper?