Trick Tops

I came across these wonderful pieces while conducting research for another toy, and completely by accident. 

The motion of a spinning top activates a mechanism that makes a small doll move or a certain scenario happen. 

Everything I knew so far about spinning tops was no longer relevant. 

I was blown away to another world.

They are called Trick tops or in Japanese "Edo Goma," and they are so funny and special in their design and movement that they just make you want to see more and more of them. 

They were all handcrafted by a man named Hiroi Massaki. He said his main guide for creating and designing a new piece is that it will make people smile, both because he wants to give people a reason to do so and because he finds that creating something amusing demands being in an amused state of mind himself.

A bit of history. 

It turns out that between the years 1600-1868, in the city of Edo (today's Tokyo), acrobats began incorporating spinning tops in their performances. 

The acrobats began balancing the spinning tops on various objects used in the show (swords, fans, etc.). 

This practice became very popular, and accordingly, various craftsmen began specializing in creating more personalized and unique tops, taking the spinning action in different directions and designs. 

Some tops started incorporating a simple mechanical movement that the rotation activated.

Back to Hiroi 

Continuing a long line of Edo-style spinner manufacturers, he started making spinners already at the age of ten. 

After mastering the skill, he decided to develop the traditional ideas in new directions and added even more sophistication to the way they operate.

When I started following Hiroi and his creations, he was already in his 90s, and the website presenting his work stated he was no longer accepting orders for new spinners. 

When I went back to the website in preparation for publishing this post, I discovered the sad announcement that he had passed away. 

Thank you, Hiroi, for leaving us these videos of your special, funny, and interesting creations.