Kokeshi by Sakurai
KOKESHI, TRADITIONAL JAPANESE WOODEN DOLL.
Kokeshi (こけし) is Japanese traditional crafts doll that is made of wood. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokeshi) What makes them unique is the feature, has no arms and legs. Distinctive enlarged head and thin linings to express faces.
I always wondered why. No legs and arms feared my childhood, maybe still does. There is no concrete explanation for it yet. According to urban legend of Kokeshi, it is rather scary.
Kokeshi, in Japanese, is written "こけし" in hiragana form for a reason. In the past, poor family had to give up their children simply because the family could not feed them. The family was forced to kill or leave their kids in deep forest of mountain. So, they made a Kokeshi to repose child's soul. Back then, the doll was called "子消し" (same pronunciation as kokeshi), meaning "child vanish". (Does that explain why the doll has no legs and arms?)
Why the doll is not showing any face expression, even a piece of smile? That's really odd for a doll, because dolls are supposed to be for kids. (Some might say it's because they are Japanese dolls. We are not THAT expressionless. haha) The myth says, kokeshi used to have a smily face. One lady who left her kid to die and made a kokeshi one day. After days, the kokeshi's face turned to furious anger. She thought it was her mistake and made another one. This time she made sure the doll's face to be smiling. Guess what happened. The doll's face was, again, angry like hell. So, that is why kokeshi is made with no expression on their faces.
It's a myth. And kokeshi crafts of nowadays has no relations to the story, for sure. And there are kokeshi that has (little) smile on the face.
Festival of kokeshi will be held in Miyagi from 1st to 3rd September, 2017. Get off a train at Naruko Onsen station of JR. (http://kokeshimatsuri.com/)
To buy or see Kokeshi dolls. There is a shop specialized in kokeshi, in Miyagi called "Sakurai kokeshi". There is only a few craftsman who still make kokeshi.
There is also online store. (http://en.sakuraikokeshiten.com/online-shop)
Naruko Kokeshi A.
Price: $55
Naruko Kokeshi A Sumi.
Price: $55
Mini Ejiko Kokeshi
Price: $30
Where to buy: "Sakurai Kokeshi"
Address: 26-6, Narukoonsenyumoto, Osaki city, Miyagi
Open hours: 8:00 to 19:00
Sakurai Kokeshi online store.
Sakurai Kokeshi official site.
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