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Kokeshi Wooden Dolls
 Kokeshi
wooden dolls are one of the most unique and interesting of
Japan's many traditional folk crafts. Originating in the early 19th
century in the northern spa towns of Miyagi prefecture, kokeshi
are thought to have first been produced as toys for children from leftover bits
of scrap wood. These early dolls were made by craftsmen who earned their
living producing other types of woodcraft, but who eventually began to create
kokeshi to be sold as souvenirs in the area's many local hot spring
resorts. Over time the craft was refined, with many regional varieties
appearing reflecting a wide range of technical and artistic variation.
Today there are several schools of kokeshi design led by master craftsmen
who often pass their trade within their family from one generation to the next.
 When collecting kokeshi
it is important to note that you will likely encounter two main types; dolls
which are made by craftsmen and those which are mass-produced to be sold as
souvenirs. The former are usually one-of-a-kind originals created by
dedicated artisans who take their work very seriously and
place great emphasis on traditional design and appearance. The other type of kokeshi
are those which are manufactured specifically to be sold as souvenirs of famous
or interesting
places such as resorts or hot springs. These are produced en-mass, and
while often attractive and interesting memorabilia they are not as frequently sought after by
collectors and usually command a lower selling price. An exception to this are
very old kokeshi which were in fact made as souvenirs of hot springs
resorts in Miyagi Prefecture (where the craft originated). How can you
determine if a kokeshi is a "craftsman" or "souvenir" style doll?
This is actually quite easy as craftsmen-style dolls are normally signed (on the
bottom) by the maker, and will likely have no writing on the body of the doll.
Souvenir types on the other hand may have the name of the place which sold them
conspicuously visible on the body of the doll and are normally unsigned. Collectors of Kokeshi
often place special emphasis on the facial quality of the dolls, desiring
certain types - gentle or mischievous for example - over others. One
interesting Kokeshi collector
we previously met
expressed a preference for newer dolls over older ones, fearing the older dolls may be
haunted.
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Please click
here to see kokeshi available for sale in our eBay
store The Old Tokaido. |
Kokeshi Production:
Research on kokeshi:
"Japanese Crafts." Tokyo: The Japan Craft Forum, 1996
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