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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 "Hijiori Kokeshi," which developed around Hijiori Onsen in Yamagata 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.
Giant Kokeshi dolls at Hijiori Onsen
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.
Hijiori-style kokeshi dolls, a tradition passed down through two generations
The Hijiori style kokeshi one of the 12 styles and developed around Hijiori Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture .
Denzo Kakizaki, born in Hijiori during the Bunsei era in the early 1800s, studied woodworking in Naruko, Miyagi Prefecture, and returned to his hometown of Hijiori to begin making kokeshi dolls
Later, Denzo's disciple, Inoue Togoro, trained in woodworking in Togatta, also in Miyagi Prefecture, and returned to Hijiori after Denzo's death
Fujigoro, who inherited the family name of Denzo, created his own unique kokeshi doll by combining the Naruko style that Denzo had cultivated with the Togatta style that he himself had trained in, and this became the basis for the style that would later be known as "Hijiori-style kokeshi."
Hijiori style kokeshi dolls
Hijiori-style kokeshi dolls, which are a fusion of Naruko and Togatta, retain the characteristics of both styles. The body the "shoulders" , and the face has tegara, which , painted from the top of the head and forehead to the ears.
The body is often painted yellow, with a plant design such as stacked chrysanthemums or dianthus painted on top. Another distinctive feature of the Hijiori style is that some dolls have a head that is hollowed out and filled with azuki beans, creating a sound
Hijiori Onsen, where legend has it that a broken elbow was cured
Hijiori Onsen, located in Okura Village, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture, is located at the northern foot of Mt. Gassan, at the eastern end of the 2km diameter caldera called the Hijiori Caldera, which is designated as an active volcano by the Japan Meteorological Agency, and the entire Hijiori Onsen resort area is located on top of the magma chamber of the Hijiori Volcano. The area is also famous for being one of Japan's snowiest areas
Hijiori Onsen
Hijiori Onsen, which was once a therapeutic hot spring resort, is said to have first opened in 807 AD during the Heian period, and the legend goes that when Genno, a man from Bungo Province, visited the area, an old monk told him about the hot spring that he used to heal his broken elbow
Former Hijiori Post Office Building
The former Hijiori Post Office, located right in the center of the hot spring town, is a wooden building built in 1937 that has been preserved as a landmark of the hot spring town even after it closed in 1995
The famous morning market is held from 5:30 am from spring to autumn for hot spring visitors, selling agricultural products and daily necessities
Hijiori Onsen <Information>
Name: Hijiori Onsen
Address: Minamiyama, Okura Village, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture, 996-0201
Phone number: 0233-34-6106 (Okura Village Tourism Association)
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.
![Nakanosawa Kokeshi's expression](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1785-150x150.jpg.webp "Nakanosawa Kokeshi - Traditional Kokeshi that has evolved after breaking from the reputation of being a "part of the Doyu" [Fukushima Prefecture]")
