This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
Kokeshi dolls are one of the traditional crafts representing the Tohoku region .
It is a craft that has spread over a fairly wide area, with at least one unique lineage existing in every prefecture in Tohoku.
we will take a closer look at Nakanosawa Kokeshi, which developed mainly around Nakanosawa Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture
What is Kokeshi?
Kokeshi dolls are made by craftsmen called kijishi who lived mainly in mountain villages and 's wheel to make bowls and trays for a living. It is a wooden toy that was made to be sold as a souvenir to tourists in hot spring resorts.
Many Nakanosawa Kokeshi dolls
It is said to have originated around the end of the Edo period, and is generally divided into the following 12 strains based on production area and characteristics.
Tsugaru type (around Hirosaki City and Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture)
Southern type (around Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture)
Kiji Mountain Range (around Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture)
Naruko type (around Naruko Onsen, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Sakunami system (around Sakunami Onsen, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Togatta system (around Togatta Onsen, Zao Town, Katta District, Miyagi Prefecture)
Yajiro type (around Kamasaki Onsen, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Hijiori series (around Hijiori Onsen, Okura Village, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture)
Yamagata series (around Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture)
Zao Takayu system (around Zao Onsen, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture)
Tsuchiyu system (around Tsuchiyu Onsen, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture)
Nakanosawa series (around Nakanosawa Onsen, Inawashiro-cho, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture)
Various names and their origins
Kokeshi dolls have many other names, including , Dekoroko , Kogesu , Kiboko , Kogehoko , Kinakinabokko , Odekosama
Where did the name "kokeshi" originally come from? There are various theories about this,
Transformation of the pest control toy to prevent epidemics
Changes in burnt (piece of wood) cheeks (doll)
Koge (wood cutting) meaning of shi (child)
The accent of a small doll called okeshi that was popular in the Edo period.
There are multiple theories such as. Each theory has a certain level of persuasive power, and the aliases mentioned above are thought to have evolved by adding local accents to the names based on their respective origins.
In this way, Kokeshi dolls were called by completely different names in various places, but in 1940 (Showa 15), Kokeshi craftsmen and enthusiasts attended the ``1st Local Gathering - Naruko Festival'' A number of people related to the festival got together and decided to unify the word ``kokeshi'' into three hiragana letters, and from then on it has been called ``kokeshi'' in all regions.
Nakanosawa-style Kokeshi dolls developed in Nakanosawa Onsen
Nakanosawa-style Kokeshi one of the 12 styles, and developed around Nakanosawa Onsen in Inawashiro Town, Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture .
It is said that the origins of kokeshi dolls date back to 1922, when a driftwood craftsman from Tochigi Prefecture named Zenkichi Iwamoto moved to Nakanosawa Onsen and began making kokeshi dolls as souvenirs from the hot springs around the first year of the Showa era (1926-1927)
Nakanosawa style kokeshi dolls
eyes, which set them apart from other styles .
This big-personality robot was created by Iwamoto Zenkichi, who dislikes imitating others and prefers to create original things, and is affectionately nicknamed "Takobozu" (octopus monk)
The shape and structure of the kokeshi dolls are influenced by the "Togatta style" of Miyagi Prefecture and the "Tsuchiyu style" of Fukushima City, and peonies and cherry blossoms are commonly painted on the body
It was previously considered a part of the Tsuchiyu lineage, but in recent years has been recognized as an independent lineage
For many years, Nakanosawa-style kokeshi dolls have been classified as "part of the Tsuchiyu style," but due to their uniqueness, locals have expressed a desire to classify them as an independent lineage
In 2018, the "Tsuchyu style" received permission to call it the "Nakanosawa style," and in 2024, the 66th All Japan Kokeshi Competition, , it was recognized as an independent traditional kokeshi style as the "Nakanosawa style kokeshi."
Nakanosawa Onsen, the birthplace of Nakanosawa Kokeshi dolls
Nakanosawa Onsen is a hot spring resort located in Inawashiro Town, Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture, nestled among the mountains of Mount Adatara to the east, Mount Bandai to the west, and the Agatsuma mountain range to the north.
Nakanosawa Onsen
It is located at the confluence of National Route 115, which connects Inawashiro Town and Fukushima City, and Prefectural Route 24, which branches off from there and leads to Koriyama City. Nearby is the Mother Pass Battlefield, which .
Nakanosawa Onsen itself was born in the Meiji era, when the hot spring water was drawn from its source near the crater of Mount Adatara (Numanotaira) about 7km in a straight line to Nakanosawa
The birthplace of Nakanosawa Kokeshi
In 1913, the Numajiri Light Railway was laid to transport sulfur produced at the nearby Numajiri Mine, and tourists began to travel by train to the hot springs. At the time, the area was lined with restaurants, geisha houses, and even movie theaters, making it a lively hot spring resort
The volcanic hot water is highly acidic and hot, and has long been popular as a medicinal bath. Currently, there are about eight hot spring inns here
Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs.
![The expression of the Doyu Kokeshi](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1799-150x150.jpg.webp "Doyu Kokeshi - Traditional kokeshi originating from "Doyu Onsen", which is said to be the birthplace of the three major kokeshi at Tohoku [Fukushima Prefecture]")
