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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 "Hijiori Kokeshi," which developed around Hijiori Onsen in Yamagata 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.
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 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.
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
![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]")
