We went into Tokyo yesterday and visited the Meiji Shrine, Tokyo's grandest Shinto shrine. It happened to be the shrine's "Doll Thanksgiving Day", and there were thousands of dolls and stuffed animals neatly displayed around the grounds. Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that dolls posses souls, and so, shrines will accept dolls for those who cannot bear to simply discard old or broken dolls in the garbage. Traditional Shinto religious ceremonies are carried out to purify and bless the existence of dolls that have completed their service. Those that bring in the dolls write a message of gratitude to their own doll on paper cut-outs in the shape of a human figure, and place this note before the shrine alter. The messages are then used by the Shinto priests in the rites of purification. This practice is believed to bring peace and tranquility to the souls of the dolls, while returning the dolls to the state of mere physical entity. At the same time, the doll owner will at last be able to bid farewell to their doll with reassurance and without feelings of remorse.
By the end of the day, it was expected that approximately 40,000 dolls would be enshrined. (Following the ceremony, the dolls that have been returned to the status if materialistic objects are disposed of in a proper and respectful fashion).
....can't say I have every come across anything remotely similar to this custom.
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