Kokeshi: these adorable little Japanese dolls

On the occasion of a special day around kokeshi coming up at the store, I really wanted to present to you today these adorable little Japanese dolls that I had already told you about here .

1st photo: Model of Naruko Kokeshi (with a chrysanthemum pattern on the trunk) from Miyagi Department, made by Niiyama Mayumi
2nd photo : Models of Tsugaru Kokeshi (with okappa haircut and peony pattern on the trunk) from Aomori Prefecture, made by Abo Masafumi
3rd photo: Model of Yahiro Kokeshi (characterized by the stripes that form a beret at the top of his head) from the Miyagi department, made by Niiyama Mayumi

Originating from northern Japan, from the Tōhoku region on the main island of Honshū, kokeshi appeared during the prosperous Edo period (1603-1868) . Traditionally, they were made by hand in local woods by local farmers. The winters being particularly harsh in this part of Japan, the making of kokeshi represented winter work which allowed the farmers, once the warm weather arrived, to earn additional income by selling these wooden dolls to passing tourists. In the region.

Top and bottom photo : Naruko Kokeshi designs (with patterns of chrysanthemum, plum blossoms or maple leaves and dragonflies) from Miyagi Department, made by Niiyama Mayumi

Originally intended for the children of peasants and travelers who traveled the Tōhoku region , these little dolls have now become objects suitable for collection and a real activity has developed around their manufacture. A true handicraft object, kokeshi are cut and painted by hand - their shapes, colors and patterns vary from one family of kokeshi to another.

Left and right photo : Tsugaru Kokeshi models (with okappa haircut and peony pattern on the trunk) from Aomori Prefecture, made by Sasamori Junichi

I therefore invite you to the store on Saturday October 6, 2018 for a day dedicated to them! On this occasion, an exclusive sale of traditional kokeshi by Kaori from the Maison des kokeshi (めぞんでこけし) will be offered to you!
These kokeshi are made by kokeshi kôjin (kokeshi craftsmen) from the Tōhoku region with whom Kaori and Yuka, her associate in Japan, work in close collaboration. The models presented throughout the article are those that you will be able to discover next Saturday, October 6 (and only on that day)!

If you would like to discover some inspiration around kokeshi and Japanese crafts, discover my Japanese Art board on Pinterest:

You can also find on our e-shop (and in store) our three variations of the kokeshi kit to make adorable Japanese paper dolls:

• Kokeshi Kit - Yellow, Pink, Green and Sky Blue
• Samurai Kit - Red, Dark Blue, Water Green and Gold

See you soon for new inspirations around Japan,

Adeline