KOKESHI is Japanese traditional classic toy for children.
They had been sold as souvenirs at ONSEN Hot Spring at 東北【TOUHOKU ERA】from the end of 江戸【EDO-Period】 to the end of 明治【MEIJI ERA】.
Traditional kokeshi dolls have different characteristics depending on the production area, and the main items can be classified into the following systems (main production areas and prefectures).
●土湯【TSUCHIYU】Tsuchiyu system (Tsuchiyu Onsen, Iizaka Onsen, Dake Onsen/Fukushima) The head has a snake’s eye ring, and there is a red pattern called kase between the bangs and the wig. The pattern on the torso is mainly a combination of lines.
●弥次郎【YAJIROU】Yajiro system (Shiroishi city Yajiro, Miyagi) A multi-colored ring like a beret is drawn on the top of the head, and thick potter’s wheel lines and simple hand-drawn patterns on the collar and sleeves are drawn on the torso.
●遠刈田【TOOGATTA】Togatta system (Togatta Onsen/Miyagi) Draw a red radial decoration on the top of the head, and draw a red eight-shaped decoration from the forehead to the cheek. The torso is usually hand-painted with a flower pattern of chrysanthemums and plums, and in rare cases, it has a wood grain pattern.
●鳴子【NARUKO】Naruko system (Naruko Onsen/Miyagi) It features a rotating neck. When you turn your head, it makes a “squeak, squeak” sound. The body is thin in the middle, and in extreme cases it has a body like a concave lens. Chrysanthemum flowers are usually painted on the body.
●作並【SAKUNAMI】Sakunami system (Sendai City, Sakunami Onsen, Yamagata City, Yonezawa City, Sagae City, Tendo City/Miyagi, Yamagata) It is also called Yamagata Sakunami system. In some cases, Yamagata is treated as an independent company. A ring-shaped red decoration is drawn on the top of the head, and a chrysanthemum pattern is drawn between the upper and lower potter’s wheel lines on the body.
●山形【YAMAGATA】Yamagata system (Yamagata City/Yamagata) Hair is drawn on the bangs and on the left and right sides, and it is common to have red hair ornaments.
●蔵王【ZAOU】Zao system (Zao Onsen/Yamagata) Draw a red radial pattern on the top of the head, but there is also a black bobbed head. In addition to chrysanthemums and cherry blossoms, various plants are drawn on the body.
●肘折【HIJIORI】Hijiori system (Hijiori Onsen/Yamagata) The head is red radiation or black head, and the body pattern is often chrysanthemum, stone bamboo, etc.
●木地山【KIJIYAMA】Kiji Mountain Range (Mt. Kiji and Akita) On the head, red radial decorations are drawn on the large bangs and wig. The body is famous for its maedari pattern, but there is also an old style with only chrysanthemums.
●南部【NAMBU】Southern (Morioka, Hanamaki Onsen, Iwate) Achromatic Kina Kina made as a pacifier is the prototype. Simple paintings are also made. The feature is that the head moves wobbly due to Kina Kina.
●津軽【TSUGARU】It is also called Tsugaru system (Onyu hot spring, Owani hot spring, Aomori) hot spring system. In addition to simple potter’s wheel patterns, obi belts, flowers, and nebuta patterns, etc. are drawn on the body.
There are also traditional kokeshi dolls (中ノ沢【NAKANOSAWA】 kokeshi dolls (猪苗代【INAWASHIRO】Inawashiro Town, 福島【FUKUSHIMA】), etc.) that are not included in these systems.
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