With Barbie’s perfect proportions and high-sense dresses she immediately became a hit among girls when it started production in Japan in 1958. This is the shocking biography of a working woman who helped propel the image of Japanese products to the world standard during a time when they had an image of, “You get what you pay for.”





■Table of Contents

Introduction—Barbie is my treasure 1

Chapter 1: Meeting Ms. Johnson
　　My first job was meeting her at Haneda Airport
　　Interview 01 First impressions of an American
　　The Imperial Hotel was my office
　　Interview 02 The Imperial Hotel and Ms. Johnson
　　Every day I returned home on the last train
　　Column 01 Revival of “Made in Japan” Toys—After “Made in Occupied Japan”

Chapter 2: Entry Test
　　Interview 03 Born in 1932
　　A job in hand
　　The entry test was a doll’s pants
　　Column 02 The Foundation of the Textile Kingdom That Gave Birth to Barbie, Japan
　　Column 03 Producing Barbie in Japan, at Kokusai Boeki Kaisha, Ltd.

Chapter 3: The Story of Barbie Dress Production
　　The Imperial Hotel’s research room
　　Designing patterns with two people
　　Interview 04 Extraordinary first salary
　　The faucet that became the hint for a hat
　　Good idea
　　The sweater ensemble knitted at night
　　A Barbie to be proud of
　　Interview 05 Ms. Johnson’s work
　　Interview 06 The United States and Japan, Men and Women
　　Column 04 Kokusai Boeki Kaisha, Ltd.’s Bet—The accounts of Tanaka Masaru
　　Column 05 The ideas of Mattel, Inc.’s Co-founder Ruth Handler

Chapter 4: Nationwide Debut
　　Ms. Johnson’s return home
　　Interview 07 Numerous prototypes
　　The pressures of mass production
　　And the days of factory inspection
　　Interview 08 “Rest a little, Ms. Miyatsuka.”
　　Ken’s tuxedo is too big!?
　　Interview 09 The tatami workspace on the banks of the Sumida River
　　Column 06 The Difficulty of Making a Doll’s Body The accounts of Tanaka Sho
　　Column 07 To Technological Innovation, the Efforts of Yamazaki Seiichi The accounts of Tanaka Sho

Chapter 5: Barbie, to the World
　　“Good morning, Principle.”
　　The workaholic employees of the Showa era
　　Request to leave the company
　　Interview 10 The reason why they asked me to say
　　Establishment of Miyatsuka Sewing
　　Column 08 Design Strategy for Barbie’s Dresses Before Ms. Johnson
　　Column 09 Quality First With Ms. Johnson
　　Column 10 Barbie’s Japan Release

Chapter 6: Devoted to Dolls
　　Work at Miyatsuka Sewing
　　Interview 11 Fumiko Miyatsuka in the eyes of Keiko Kumiko in their 50 years together
　　Doll clothing specialist
　　With family
　　Embarking on apartment management
　　#959 Theater Date—Standards of sewing
　　Dress Pick-up

Chapter 7: 50 Years of Barbie
　　The work I gave my life to
　　Column 11 The Future of Barbie

Afterwards