Miss Wakayama, Nevada's Friendship Doll: Impostor or Victim?

Miss Wakayama, Nevada's Friendship Doll: Impostor or Victim?

From the moment she was born, Miss Wakayama was destined to serve as a goodwill ambassador. Throughout her life, Nevada's Japanese Friendship Doll has undergone numerous transformations. During her early years, she was cherished by countless admirers while touring before being showcased at the museum. However, she was subsequently relegated to storage for many years due to the political upheavals caused by World War II. Following an international tour in Japan, she joyfully reunited with several of her sisters at the age of 60 and was later honored during the museum's centennial celebration. When she turned 80, she was once again displayed to fulfill her ambassadorial duties. But is this symbol of innocence really who she claims to be? We will delve into half a century of international research to uncover the truth about Miss Wakayama. With an unexpected discovery from the archives of the Nevada Historical Society, we aim to determine whether Miss Wakayama is an impostor or victim? Betsy Morse is a retired National Weather Service meteorologist-in-charge. Her love of history was inherited from her father who would share stories at dinner and visit history markers on trips. After moving to Nevada, Betsy became an NHS educational docent in 2008. She became interested in Miss Wakayama when she asked High School students to identify when the doll changed from being a work of art to becoming a piece of history, that led her to dig into the doll's story and identity.