Encounter unique "Takobozu" dolls. Nakanozawa Kokeshi Doll Exhibition held at Urabandai Kogen Hotel [Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture]

The "Nakanosawa Kokeshi Doll Exhibition" is being held at the Urabandai Kogen Hotel in Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture . The exhibition runs until January 11, 2027. Admission is free and open to non-guests as well.

This exhibition showcases all 12 traditional kokeshi doll styles from the Tohoku region, with a particular focus on the Nakanozawa kokeshi, affectionately known as "Takobozu" (octopus monk)

By comparing the differences in facial features and patterns, you can experience the diverse charms of kokeshi dolls

Nakanozawa Kokeshi dolls, affectionately known as "Takobozu" (octopus monk)

Nakanosawa-style kokeshi dolls are made in Nakanosawa Onsen , Inawashiro Town, Fukushima Prefecture . They are characterized by large eyes with red outlines around them, wide noses, and cherry blossoms and peonies painted on their bodies.

Its distinctive facial features earned it the nickname"Takobozu" (octopus monk). Each Nakanozawa kokeshi doll on display at the venue has a different eye shape, expression, and body pattern, showcasing a variety of individual characteristics even within the same lineage.

For many years, Nakanozawa-style kokeshi dolls had been classified as "part of the Tsuchiyu style," but in 2018, they received permission to be called "Nakanosawa-style" instead of "Tsuchiyu-style," and in 2024, they were recognized as an independent traditional kokeshi doll style at the 66th All Japan Kokeshi Doll Contest

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Nakanosawa Kokeshi - Traditional Kokeshi Dolls Breaking Away from Being Just a Part of the Tsuchiyu Style [Fukushima Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/35803

Kokeshi dolls are one of the traditional crafts representative of the Tohoku region. They are a craft that has spread widely, with at least one unique style found in every prefecture in the region. This time, we'll take a closer look at Nakanosawa Kokeshi, a type of kokeshi that developed around Nakanosawa Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture. What are kokeshi? Kokeshi are wooden toys made by craftsmen called "kijishi," who lived mainly in mountain villages and made a living by using a potter's wheel to create bowls, trays, and other items, to play with for their children or to sell as souvenirs to visitors to the nearby hot spring resort. There are many Nakanosawa Kokeshi dolls...

This special exhibition introduces the history and charm of this type of kokeshi doll, along with other styles

Comparing the 12 types of Kokeshi dolls from the Tohoku region

The venue will feature kokeshi dolls from 12 different Tohoku styles, including the Nakanozawa style

With their rounded heads, slender bodies, vibrant floral patterns, and lines drawn on a potter's wheel, comparing their individual forms reveals that even though they're all called "kokeshi dolls," their shapes and color schemes vary greatly

One of the highlights of this exhibition is the opportunity to view the actual specimens placed on wooden stands while simultaneously referring to the explanations of each type displayed on the wall

Finding a kokeshi doll that catches your eye, then reading its description, and looking at it again after learning about its features—this approach will likely make the dolls' expressions and patterns even more fascinating

Admission is free for non-guests as well. Enjoy a moment surrounded by kokeshi dolls in Urabandai

The "Nakanosawa Kokeshi Doll Exhibition" is open to the public in the multipurpose space within the hotel.Admission is free, and entry for non-guestsis until 5 PM.

The Nakanozawa kokeshi dolls have striking expressions, and the traditional kokeshi dolls differ in appearance from region to region. When you visit Urabandai, why not take your time to compare each one?

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