• last year
Simply heartwarming − Kokeshi dolls

'Kokeshi' are charming traditional wooden dolls, the simple, colorful design representing a young girl wearing a kimono. This craft originated in the Tohoku region, where 11 distinct 'kokeshi' traditions still thrive. Naruko Onsen in Miyagi is the largest producer of these dolls, and there we meet Tanabe Kaori, who left her previous job as an engineer to train as a "kokeshi" artisan. She tells us about learning the difficult skills of painting the dolls’ gentle features under the guidance of master craftsman Okazaki Yasuo. The old traditions continue to evolve, and recent creative 'kokeshi' designs are proving especially popular with female fans.

VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN

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Transcript
00:00 [Music]
00:07 [Music]
00:11 Simple, charming and colorful,
00:14 kokeshi are a traditional type of Japanese doll.
00:17 [Music]
00:20 The design represents a young girl wearing a kimono.
00:24 [Music]
00:30 Kokeshi date from about 200 years ago.
00:33 Visitors to onsen hot springs bought them as souvenirs for their children.
00:38 [Music]
00:42 The first kokeshi were made in the Tohoku region.
00:45 [Music]
00:47 There are several kinds, from Nambu kokeshi with swiveling heads
00:51 [Music]
00:54 to Yajiro kokeshi wearing painted caps.
00:56 [Music]
00:59 And Tsuchiyu kokeshi that have a pattern of horizontal stripes.
01:03 [Music]
01:05 In all there are 11 kokeshi traditions, each with its own distinct character.
01:10 [Music]
01:13 The largest producer of kokeshi dolls is Naruko Onsen in Miyagi.
01:18 [Music]
01:21 There's a museum here where you can see some of the oldest examples
01:24 and even try your hand at painting a doll.
01:27 [Music]
01:33 Okazaki Yasuo has been a kokeshi artisan for about 50 years.
01:38 [Music]
01:41 The head and body of Naruko kokeshi are crafted separately.
01:45 [Music]
01:53 The neck is carved with a protruding knob,
01:56 while the body has a hole that is a little smaller than the knob's diameter.
02:00 [Music]
02:10 The head is forcefully screwed into the body as it rotates.
02:17 Because of the tight fit, the doll makes a cute chirping sound when you turn the head.
02:21 [Chirping sound]
02:33 It takes great ability as well as skill to make Naruko kokeshi.
02:40 [Phone ringing]
02:41 Okazaki recently accepted a new apprentice.
02:44 [Phone ringing]
02:49 Tanabe Kaori left her previous job as an engineer to train as a kokeshi artisan.
02:55 [Music]
03:05 These dolls are all painted by hand.
03:07 It's a task requiring intense concentration.
03:10 [Music]
03:16 I saw a video of Okazaki sensei and was so impressed by his beautiful painting
03:21 that I decided to become a kokeshi artisan myself.
03:27 Okazaki says the face of a kokeshi expresses the spirit of the person that painted it.
03:35 This is where it all comes from. You have to have a kind heart.
03:38 The way Tanabe paints is completely different than the way I do. It's so sweet.
03:43 I'd like more apprentices who make dolls like her.
03:48 Naruko Onsen holds an annual festival featuring kokeshi from all over Japan.
03:53 Each year it attracts more and more female fans.
03:59 Watanabe Maiko is a collector who owns over 3,000 kokeshi dolls.
04:06 These aren't just traditional designs.
04:09 She has plenty of intriguingly creative modern dolls too.
04:15 They're so cute, just like children.
04:17 Every time I leave the house I pick a doll to take with me.
04:20 It's like choosing a dress for the day.
04:23 It's great fun.
04:26 With its placid, gentle features and the natural warmth of wood,
04:31 a kokeshi doll brings peace and calm to any home.
04:37 For more information, visit the Osaka Prefectural Government website.
04:44 (Click, click, click)
04:45 (Ping!)
04:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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