This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
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 the Onsen and Owani Onsen hot springs in Aomori Prefecture"Tsugaru 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.
Jumbo Tsugaru Kokeshi at the Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum (Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture)
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.
Tsugaru-style kokeshi dolls created by woodworker Mori Hidetaro in the early Taisho period
The "Tsugaru-style Kokeshi doll"is said to be the youngest of the 12 styles, originating in the early Taisho era.
It all started when a man named Mori Hidetaro, who ran a woodworking business in Nuruyu Onsen, which is now Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, began making kokeshi dolls in an original way. He then went on to build the foundations of Tsugaru-style kokeshi together with craftsman Hasegawa Tatsuo from Owani Town
Tsugaru style kokeshi dolls
where the head and body are crafted from a single piece of wood"built-in,". They are characterized by their bodies with various curves and flared legs.
The patterns painted on the body include Daruma dolls, which are reminiscent of the fact that this is the birthplace of the Nebuta Festival, as well as Ainu patterns and the peony flower, which is the family crest of the Tsugaru domain, and in the Owani region, iris patterns are sometimes painted
Many of them have distinctive facial features that set them apart from other breeds, such as bob haircuts and long eyelashes
The Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum displays over 4,000 kokeshi dolls collected from all over Japan
The Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, the birthplace of Tsugaru Kokeshi, displays over 4,000 kokeshi dolls collected from all over the country
The exterior of the Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum
The building's exterior is a fusion of the traditional architectural style of Aomori and Akita prefectures, heavy snowfall regions, where"komise", and Edo-period merchant houses.
Kokeshi exhibition at Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum
In addition to exhibiting works by the late Hidetaro Mori, the originator of Tsugaru-style kokeshi dolls, visitorskokeshican also see a precious
Kokeshi exhibition at Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum ②
In 2024, a kokeshi shop called "Kokeshi Kobo tsuN'agaru" will open in the "Tsugaru Traditional Crafts Museum" adjacent to the Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum. It might be a good idea to find your favorite Tsugaru kokeshi here as a memento of your trip!
Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum <Information>
Name: Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum
Address: 72-1 Fukuro Toyama, Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, 036-0412
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]")
