One interesting aspect of co-op living is that typically there is a higher rate of owner occupancy than with condominiums. In fact, many co-ops specifically prohibit renting of apartments. As a result, in my experience, co-op members are usually more active than condominium owners in the management of the property.
The motifs of these dolls often echo those of true Hakata Dolls: characters from Japanese lore and classic literature, Kabuki theater, Ukiyo-e wood prints, and even Japanese pop culture. The floats once grew to heights of 16 meters (52.5 feet).
In the Edo period (1603 to 1868), doll-makers from Kyoto were often called down to Hakata and housed around the Kushida Shrine to craft dolls for the festival. However, the very first known instance of an artist producing a doll for a Hakata festival is in 1437. In this year, a Kyoto artist known as Sensaimon was summoned to Hakata for the purpose of creating a special doll. This doll was to be housed inside a portable holy shrine used in a local Hakata festival.