These hand-crafted goma or miniature horses are from Miharu, a castle town in Fukushima Prefecture. They are said to have originated from the Takashiba Koiku-Mokuba, a one-inch wooden carving of a horse used as a talisman for raising children. According to legend, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, a military officer from the Heian period, was struggling during his campaign against the Emishi in 793 when he was saved by a wooden horse that appeared out of nowhere. During the Edo period, Takashiba village was the territory of the Miharu Domain, so the horse figures were later given the name Miharu goma. In addition to being enjoyed as children’s toys, they became popular as a lucky charm and were often donated to shrines in hopes of healthy foals in Miharu, a horse-breeding region.