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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 "Tsugaru Kokeshi," which developed in the areas around Nukuyu Onsen and Owani Onsen in Aomori 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.
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 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.
Tsugaru-style kokeshi dolls created by woodworker Mori Hidetaro in the early Taisho period
The "Tsugaru-style Kokeshi" is the youngest of the 12 styles, and is said to have originated in the early Taisho period.
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
"tsukuri-tsuke," which the head and body are made from a single piece of wood , and have a body shape characterized by variously shaped waists 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 structure of Aomori and Akita, areas known for heavy snowfall, and a "komise," of a building to protect it from the snow.
Kokeshi exhibition at Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum
In addition to exhibiting works by the late Mori Hidetaro, the originator of Tsugaru-style kokeshi, you can also see valuable kokeshi dolls painted and painted by the world-famous printmaker Shiko Munakata, in Aomori, around 1964, on Mori Hidetaro's wooden base.
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.
![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]")
![The expression of the Doyu Kokeshi](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1799-150x150.jpg.webp "Doyu Kokeshi - Traditional kokeshi originating from "Doyu Onsen", which is said to be the birthplace of the three major kokeshi at Tohoku [Fukushima Prefecture]")
