At first sight, kokeshi dolls may seem like easy toys or decorations for your living room, but in fact they are an necessary art form in Japan. These dolls are generally characterized by their lack of legs and arms (some contemporary designs have simplified arms), along with their colored kimono with floral patterns and geometric shapes.
These Japanese dolls ordinarily symbolize young girls and they rapidly became familiar for their representation of feminine beauty. These Japanese dolls are ordinarily female, although male versions are currently becoming more common. These wonderfully man-made dolls are viewed as tokens of good wishes and love.
Japanese School Girls
The History Behind Kokeshi dolls
In the early nineteenth century within the northern villages of the Tohoku region, kokeshi dolls were man-made as toys for children, and they were produced from remaining bits of discarded wood. These early Japanese dolls were created by craftsmen who made their living by manufacture other forms of woodcraft, but at some point they began creating kokeshi dolls to be marketed as souvenirs. There were many local hot spring resorts in the area, so it was a good firm to sell these dolls to the visitors; it is a Japanese tradition to take back home an omiyage (a gift that is brought back home when a person travels). Over the years, this art has been enhanced and a wide collection of technical and artistic variations appeared. Today, there are many schools of kokeshi designs guided by devotee craftsmen who pass their inheritance to other house members, maintaining this tradition throughout the generations.
Kokeshi Doll Types
Regardless of their tasteless characteristics, kokeshi dolls are separated into two proper types: primary kokeshi and creative kokeshi
Traditional Kokeshi
Traditional kokeshi dolls were initially man-made by Kijiya artisans in the Tohoku region. They were known as "dento" dolls and they had slim and long bodies without arms or legs, and wider rounded heads. Initially, these Japanese dolls took a very easy shape with long cylindrical bodies painted with a little collection of colors.
Modern Kokeshi
Shingata or creative kokeshi, is a more contemporary doll style which gives flexibility to the artist to shape the doll as he chooses; they can possess any style or color. Also, the body and head can be very diverse in form. Creative kokeshi dolls don't cleave to the primary styles originated in the Tohoku region; their creation is totally free regarding the artwork. A creative doll is generally a unique piece, and it might be more precious compared to other type of dolls due to its originality. The craftsmen who furnish the creative kokeshi dolls are not from a particular region of Japan, and typically they are settled in the cities.
These dolls have been an prominent part of the Japanese traditions and nowadays they are an icon of Japanese culture. The charm behind these dolls lies in their ever changing make that reflects the current Japanese society. easy and stylish, these dolls are not just toys or decorations; they are an expression of dedication and love to an art form that has been present for hundreds of years in Japan.
Kokeshi Dolls: A Toy or a Japanese Tradition?
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