Aizu is a region in Japan where this traditional Japanese crafts known as Akabeko come from. Beko in Aizu dialect refers to a cow and it is actually a red cow. It is made from paper glued around two blocks of wood shaped like a cow. Once the paper dries, the wooden pieces are removed, leaving a hollow body. It looks similar to a string puppet with a head that bobs. Of all traditional Japanese crafts, this one usually gets the children’s attention right away because it is a toy.
There is a legend behind this toy. The story goes that a cow helped built the temple of Buddha. It was completely devoted to protecting it that it was willing to give its spirit  to be able to stay near the temple. Once it relinquished its soul, it turned to stone. Over time, the akabeko was used by the people of Aizu and eventually the rest of Japan to ward off illnesses like the chicken pox.

There are just a few workshops in Japan that make the Akabeko, and each are run by families. In addition, one can tell from which workshop the Akabeko comes from because of distinct markings on the toy.
For instance, one family known as the Igarashi family have a workshop that makes this toy. They paint their version with a moon and sun on one side and a Chinese character that symbolizes luck and long life. Other family workshop add some gold to their Akabeko while others choose other markings.
One Akabeko toy takes 10 days to complete and it is done completely by hand. If you’re wondering about the price, it is definitely worth it because of this personalized handcrafting method.
Care should be taken when transporting the toy because it is made of the thinnest of Japanese paper protected only by a thin layer of lacquer.