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 in the Kijiyama district of the former Minase Village (now Yuzawa City) and the Kawatsura district of Yuzawa City in Akita Prefecture"Kijiyama 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.
Uniquely expressive wooden kokeshi dolls
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.
Kijiyama style kokeshi dolls were born when woodworkers from all over Japan gathered in this area at the end of the Edo period
At the end of the Edo period, many woodworkers in search of high-quality timber moved to this area from Omi (Shiga Prefecture) and Shinano (Nagano Prefecture), passing through Aizu (Fukushima Prefecture) and Onikobe (Miyagi Prefecture)
After a while, these woodworkers began making "kokeshi" dolls as souvenirs for the nearby hot spring resorts of Doroyu Onsen and Koyasukyo Onsen, and"Kijiyama-style Kijiyama kokeshi"was born.
The Kijiyama district, located near the current border with Miyagi Prefecture, was situated beyond the mountains whereNaruko Onsen (hot springs)was located. It is said that early Kijiyama-style kokeshi dolls were strongly influenced by Naruko-style kokeshi dolls.
As time passed and the Meiji period began, government policy restricted the felling of timber, and many woodworkers from the Kijiyama area moved down the mountain to what is now the Kawatsura area of Yuzawa City, which is famous as the production center of Kawatsura lacquerware
Later, local woodworkers in the Kawatsura district also began making kokeshi dolls, and the kokeshi dolls produced in the Kawatsura district"Kijiyama-style Kawatsura kokeshi."came to be known as
As a result,"Kijiyama-style Kijiyama kokeshi"and"Kijiyama-style Kawatsura kokeshi."two distinct styles of Kijiyama-style kokeshi dolls emerged:
Kijiyama River Kokeshi
where the head and body are carved from a single piece of wood"built-in,", resulting in a scallion-shaped head and a body that flares out at the base.
Another unique feature is that the torso is depicted wearing a kimono, with plum blossoms, diamonds, stripes, and other designs on the apron
Another characteristic of these paintings is that the eyes are clearly drawn, with upper and lower eyelids and black eyes, and many of them have an indescribable expression that evokes sadness
All 12 types of Kokeshi dolls from the Tohoku region
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](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAJYAAACWAQAAAAAUekxPAAAAAnRSTlMAAHaTzTgAAAAaSURBVEjH7cExAQAAAMKg9U9tDQ+gAACAdwMLuAABXZHjmQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg== "Togatta Kokeshi - Traditional Kokeshi Dolls Developed in Miyagi Zao's "Togatta Onsen" [Miyagi Prefecture]")
![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]")
