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Kokeshi dolls are one of the traditional crafts that represent the Tohoku region .
It is a craft that has spread over a fairly wide area, with at least one unique style existing in every prefecture in the Tohoku region
we will take a closer look at Nakanosawa Kokeshi, which developed mainly around Nakanosawa Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture
What is a Kokeshi doll?
Kokeshi dolls are wooden who mainly lived in mountain villages and made a living by using a potter's wheel to make bowls, trays, and other objects, to use as toys for their children or to sell as souvenirs to visitors to nearby 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 types based on its place of origin and characteristics
Tsugaru-style (Around Hirosaki and Kuroishi cities in Aomori Prefecture)
Southern group (Around Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture)
Kijiyama mountain range (around Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture)
Naruko-style (Naruko Onsen area, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Sakunami-style (Sakunami Onsen area, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Togatta type (Around Togatta Onsen, Zao Town, Katta District, Miyagi Prefecture)
Yajiro lineage (Kamasaki Onsen area, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Hijiori group (around Hijiori Onsen, Okura Village, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture)
Yamagata-style (around Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture)
Zao Takayu system (Zao Onsen area, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture)
Tsuchiyu area (Tsuchyu Onsen area, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture)
Kokeshi dolls have many different names, such as kideko , dekoroko , kogesu , kiboko , hakogehoko , kinakinabokko, and odekosama.
There are various theories about where the name "kokeshi" originally came from
The evolution of the plague-repelling toy, the Yokeshi
Changes in Koge (piece of wood) and Hohoko (doll)
The meaning of "burnt wood"
A dialectal name for Okeshi, a small doll that was popular during the Edo period
There are several theories, such as the above. Each theory has a certain degree of persuasiveness, and it is thought that the other names mentioned above are names based on their origins, which have been changed by mixing in local accents
As you can see, kokeshi dolls were called by completely different names in different regions, but in 1940 (Showa 15), the "1st Local Gathering/Naruko Convention" , many people including kokeshi craftsmen and enthusiasts gathered and decided to unify the name into three hiragana characters, "kokeshi," and from then on, kokeshi came to be 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 facial expressions of Togatta Kokeshi dolls](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_1784-150x150.jpg.webp "Togatta Kokeshi - Traditional Kokeshi Dolls Developed in Miyagi Zao's "Togatta Onsen" [Miyagi Prefecture]")
