The Okiku doll has resided at the Mannenji temple in the town of Iwamizawa (Hokkaido prefecture) since 1938. According to the temple, the traditional doll initially had short cropped hair, but over time it has grown to about 25 centimeters (10 in) long, down to the doll's knees. Although the hair is periodically trimmed, it reportedly keeps growing back.
It is said that the doll was originally purchased in 1918 by a 17-year-old boy named Eikichi Suzuki while visiting Sapporo for a marine exhibition. He bought the doll on Tanuki-koji -- Sapporo's famous shopping street -- as a souvenir for his 2-year-old sister, Okiku. The young girl loved the doll and played with it every day, but the following year, she died suddenly of a cold. The family placed the doll in the household altar and prayed to it every day in memory of Okiku.
Some time later, they noticed the hair had started to grow. This was seen as a sign that the girl's restless spirit had taken refuge in the doll.
This doll was originally purchased in 1918 by a Eikichi Suzuki in Sapporo, where he saw a beautiful Japanese doll with a Kimono. Eikichi bought this doll for her sister, who is two years old named Okiku. She loved this doll and play it every day. But unfortunately, Okiku died shortly afterwards of a fever. Then at his funeral, family want to put a doll into his coffin, but somehow they forgot. The girl’s family then put the doll on the household altar and pray for every day in order to commemorate Okiku. Some time later, they saw the hair began grows. According to this story is the spirit of the girl who took refuge inside the doll.
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