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are one of the representative traditional crafts of the Tohoku regionKokeshi dolls.
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
that developed around Hijiori Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture"Hijiori Kokeshi," a type of kokeshi dollwe've taken a closer look at
What is a Kokeshi doll?
primarily by woodworkers called "kijishi," who lived in mountain villages andbowls, trays, and other items using a potter'sKokeshi dolls are woodento make a living. They were made to be toys for their own children or to sell as souvenirs to visitors of 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 City and Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture)
Southern type(around Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture)
Kijiyama Mountain Range(around Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture)
Naruko style(around Naruko Onsen, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Sakunami style(around Sakunami Onsen, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)
Kokeshi dollsきでこ,kideko,dekoroko,kogesuand evenkogehouko,kiboko,odekosamahave many other names, such as
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
Although kokeshi dolls were called by completely different names in various regions, in 1940 (Showa 15), the Tokyo Kokeshi Association held its"1st Local Gathering - Naruko Convention," where many people involved, including kokeshi craftsmen and enthusiasts, gathered and decided to standardize the name to the three hiragana characters "kokeshi." Since then, they have been called "kokeshi" in all regions.
Hijiori-style kokeshi dolls, a tradition passed down through two generations
developed around Hijiori Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture-style kokeshi doll.
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, combined the Naruko style cultivated by Denzo with the Togatta style in which he himself trained to create his own unique kokeshi dolls, which later"Hijiori-style kokeshi."became the foundation of the lineage known as
Hijiori style kokeshi dolls
The Hijiori-style kokeshi dolls, a fusion of Naruko and Togatta styles, retain characteristics of both traditions. The body has the"shoulders", while the face features the"tegara,", drawn 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]")
