Kokeshi

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Kokeshi, こけし / 小芥子 / 子消し wooden doll
kinakina きなきな (Iwate)
kibokko 木ぼっこ / 木ぼこ kiboko
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小野宮惟喬親王神社 - 宮城県白石市 Miyagi

- - - - - Start exploring from here
. Kokeshi (1) こけし Wooden Dolls - Introduction .
Miyagi prefecture 宮城県のこけし
Hijiori 肘折（ひじおり）こけし
Naruko Hot Spring なるこ温泉のこけし, Narugo
Sakunami 作並のこけし
Togatta (Toogatta) 遠苅田のこけし（とうがった）
Yajiro 弥次郎こけし
- and further links

..... Kokeshi (2) こけし
Aomori prefecture　青森のけこし
Hirosaki 弘前こけし
Nuruyu Hot Spring 　温湯温泉のこけし
Owani 大鰐温泉こけし
Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum 津軽こけし館
- Kokeshi makers :
- Yoshiki Sato 佐藤佳樹 Sato Yoshiki
- Muchihide Abo 阿保六知秀 Abo Muchihide


source : Tatsuo on facebook - Tsugaru Lacquer


..... Kokeshi (3) こけし
Yamagata prefecture 山形のけこし
Sakunami 作並のこけし
Tsuchiyu Hot Spring 土湯温泉
Yonezawa 米沢こけし
Akita prefecture
Kijiyama 木地山


. Kokeshi with Daruma san　だるま　こけし　/　ダルマこけし .


. . . CLICK here for Photos 木ぼこ kiboko !

. . . CLICK here for Photos 木ぼっこ kibokko !

. . . CLICK here for Photos キナキナ kinakina !





. kokeshi kuyoo こけし供養 memorial service for used kokeshi .

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The name KOKESHI is rather new, since 1940.


「こけし」の真実‐「子消し→こけし」は真っかな嘘 / 平井敏雄　Hirai Toshio
ko keshi - to wipe out a child - is simply a lie!

The word, ko-keshi (ko o kesu 子を消す), can be loosely translated as "extinguished child" or “a child wiped out.
There is still an ongoing discussion about this naming.





Many people believe that early kokeshi were representations of girl children that were aborted or put to death after childbirth due to the inability to support a poor family of greater size.
It may be that kokeshi were kept as reminders of a dead child's plaything. Kokeshi are also given as charms to childless women in an effort to get pregnant. Kokeshi were kept in the family and passed down from generation to generation.


the yokai monster Medochi　メドチ，　めどち - a kind of mizuchi (or Kappa)
The medochi use human females to have them bear their children. When the child is born, the Medochi comes to claim his child. If the woman throws the baby into the water to kill it, Medochi takes the bones with him.

. - kappa kokeshi 河童こけし wooden dolls with Kappa - .
The Water Goblin of Japan

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Kokeshi, from Tohoku with Love
Manami Okazaki
Kokeshi from Tohoku with Love is the second edition of the best selling book that looks at the craft and culture of kokeshi dolls. Included are more profiles, over 50 more photos and several new chapters. Kokeshi are the traditional dolls that are made of wood and are characterized by their lack of arms or legs. They are produced in the Tohoku region of Japan and were originally a children's toy, although it is more often used as a form of decoration nowadays and displayed in the home. Abroad, they are considered to be an icon of Japan, and reflect Japanese aesthetic sensibilities with their simple, elegant and minimalist designs.
Kokeshi have the appeal of imperfection and hand made exclusivity as no two dolls are the same, each kokeshi embodies the qualities of wood, something that is often referred to as "warmth." In fact, for collectors, more than the freshly made kokeshi, many covet the atmosphere of the vintage kokeshi -- rather than degrading, as with plastic or artificial materials, the wood picks up a dewy, subdued colour and the delicately painted features fade gracefully with time. This book is the only English language book that looks at this culture in depth, and is the only book with English language interviews with the masters of the craft.
The author, Manami Okazaki, visits all 6 prefectures of Tohoku to profile 23 artisans in the remote hot spring villages where they are made. Included are the work and interviews with the masters to the up and coming artists, and highlights many aesthetic theories and sensibilities that are prevalent in contemporary design, even today. The book also looks at Japanese hotspring culture, and Tohoku culture to paint a holistic picture of kokeshi culture. This book will delight fans of wooden crafts, Japanese culture and travellers to Japan. The book gives an insight into the psychology of the craftsman, the process of production, the motifs and the various types, which will inform the collector. This book will also suit travelers to Japan who wish to explore the Northern region of Japan, and their charming hot spring villages. Included are hundreds of photographs.
- source : amazon com -


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- Eleven famous Kokeshi regions



◎土湯系 Tsuchiyu（福島県 Fukushima ）
◎弥次郎系 Yajiro (宮城県 Miyagi）◎遠刈田系 Togatta ◎鳴子系 Naruko ◎作並系 Sakunami
◎山形系 Yamagata（山形県 Yamagata）◎蔵王系 Zao ◎肘折り系 Hijiori
◎南部系 Nanbu, Nambu（岩手県 Iwate）
◎木地山系 Kijiyama（秋田県 Akita）
◎津軽系 Tsugaru（青森県 Aomori）

and Kokeshi Lanterns - even with Daruma san





- source : kireiblog.excite.co.jp


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- Kokeshi Collection - Elaine Andre -

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source :　facebook


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Usaburo Kokeshi (卯三郎こけし)
wooden doll with hand painted horse for good luck (開運, kaiun - lucky, uma - horse) ~ Nagaoka, Shinto-mura, Kitagunma-gun, Gunma Prefecture.
source :　facebook


shiawasebina しあわせ雛 Happy Hina Dolls

. Kujira Kokeshi くじらこけし with whale decoration .

. Kintaro and Kabuto Kun かぶと君 "The Helmet Boy" .
Usaburo Kokeshi 卯三郎こけし


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mangan Jizo 満願地蔵 Jizo fulfilled a wish


. mangan 満願 a wish has been fulfilled .


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山の彼方の空遠く yama no kanata no sora tooku
幸い住むと人の言う saiwai sumu to hito no iu

Über den Bergen, weit zu wandern,
Sagen die Leute, wohnt das Glück.
Ach, und ich ging im Schwarme der andern,
kam mit verweinten Augen zurück.
Über den Bergen, weit, weit drüben,
Sagen die Leute, wohnt das Glück.

Karl Busse (1872-1918)

- source : Kokeshi Gallery - facebook


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- ebay -


. Hokkaido Folk Art - 北海道　 .

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Sekino Junichiro : Three Postcards
(1951)



Junichiro Sekino was one of the leading figures of the Sosaku Hanga movement. After World War II he won wide recognition in the USA. In 1963 he taught at the Ohio State University and in 1965 at the Kobe University in Japan.
The style of Junichiro Sekino has a large variety - from realistic to semi-abstract.
- source : www.artelino.com

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. Star Wars 2016 - Kokeshi .


. Ushiwakamaru and Benkei 牛若丸と弁慶 .

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Manga Nihon Mukashibanashi with kokeshi

The Brothers Taro, Jiro and Saburo 太郎、二郎、三郎

Once upon a time
there lived three brothers. Their parents were well off and they did not have to help with the daily work and could play around in the woods and the river, even as they got older.

One day their father called them and gave them a lecture and asked them to get out for three years to learn something.
Their mother agreed with this plan and called them, one by one. She asked Taro, the eldest, to become the best leader of the samurai in Japan. Jiro, the second son should become the best merchant of Japan . Next was the turn of Saburo, the third son. But he only mumbled:
"Oh well, I will become the best of something in Japan, for sure!"

The next day the three brothers left home. They walked for a while together until the road foked into three and they had to separate. Taro took the middle road, Jiro went to the right and Saburo turned left. They promised to meet here again after three years.

The four seasons came and went and in no time the three years had passed.
On the middle road appeared the proud Samurai Taro with a lot of retainers.
On the road to the right appeared Jiro, now a rich merchant with a lot of servants.
Saburo appeared along the road to the left, just as he had left three years ago, all alone.

When they reached home, their father was very happy with the fortune of Taro and Jiro.
Then he turned to Saburo, who said:
"I became the best thief of Japan". 俺は、日本一の泥棒になった。

Father said this was not a joking matter and got angry, but Saburo said he had stolen the precious metal incense burner of his father from the storehouse in the compound.
Father got really angry now, threw Saburo out of the gate and locked it most carefully.



To tell the truth, Saburo has just been lying about becoming a thief.
He had stayed with an old grandmother in the mountains and helped her. And the grateful grandma had given him a magic kokeshi 木ぼっこ（こけし人形） as a present when he departed.
Coming home he threw this doll into the compound of his father, where it went straight to the storehouse, took the metal incense burner and handed it to Saburo.

After that was cleared, the three brothers lived and prospered together.
The kokeshi of Saburo became the special treasure of the family and was kept really well to our day.

- source : nihon.syoukoukai.com

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トイレとこけしの昔話 The Kokeshi and the Toilet
トイレの花子さん
- source : ncode.syosetu.com

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昔話「こけし劇」 Kokeshi Gekijo Theater

- - - - - Sendai
- source : kokeshibokko.jugem.jp


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. karako 唐子 "Chinese children" .


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source :　facebook

Kokeshi Manhole from Naruko　鳴子


. manhooru マンホール manholes in Japan .

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- - - - -  Sendai 2016


source : facebook

G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’Meeting
2016 G7仙台財務大臣・中央銀行総裁会議

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A great collection, here are just the names of the kokeshi

source : zenmaitarow/sab129

Kokeshi about plants 植物こけし

budoo ぶどう こけし grapes
chatsubo 茶壺 こけし tea container
daikon 大根 こけし large radish, from Kirishima　霧島
donguri どんぐり こけし Eicheln
kinoko キノコ こけし mushrooms
koocha 紅葉こけし black tea
kuri 栗 こけし chestnuts
marimo 毬藻 こけし green algae
mikan ミカン こけし citrus fruit
nasu 茄子 こけし eggplants
natto 納豆 こけし fermented beans
ringo りんご こけし apples
saboten サボテン こけし cactus
suika 西瓜 こけし watermelon
takenoko 竹の子 こけし bambo sprouts
tsukushi つくし こけし
zenzai お善哉 こけし sweet desert

Kokeshi about animals 動物こけし

hamaguri, fried 焼き蛤 こけし scallops
hato 鳩 こけし doves
inari, Toyokawa Inari 豊川稲荷 こけし fox from Toyokawa
kaeru カエル こけし frogs
kuma 熊 こけし bears
mitsubachi ミツバチ こけし bees
panda パンダ こけし panda
pengin ペンギン こけし penguin
saru お猿 こけし monkeys
suzume 雀 こけし sparrows
tako タコのお土産品 octopus


source : zenmaitarow/sab130
Kokeshi about history and persons

Chushingura 忠臣蔵 こけし
Kunisada Chuji 国定忠治 こけし
Mito Komon 水戸黄門 こけし
Monjiro, kareki no Monjiro 木枯し紋次郎 こけし
Shimizu no Chirocho 清水の次郎長 こけし

Inaba no Shro usagi いなばの しろうさぎ こけし White Rabbit of Inaba
Momotaro 桃太郎 こけし
Urashima Taro 浦島太郎 こけし

Hina matsuri お雛さま こけし Hina Doll festival
Kowaka 小若こけし
Tanabata in Sendai 仙台 七夕祭 こけし

Ama no Hashidate 天橋立 股のぞき こけし
Eihei-Ji temple 永平寺のお土産こけし
Itsukushima (Miyajima) 厳島神社のお土産品
Kannon sama 観音さま こけし
Kusatsu Hot Spring 草津節 こけし
Namahage, Akita 秋田 なまはげ こけし
Otemonyan おてもやん こけし

Hiking ハイキングこけし
onsen - ii yu da na いい湯だなぁ～ こけし
tsuri 釣り人 こけし fishing
Skiing スキー こけし
sori ソリ遊び こけし sledge in snow



source : zenmaitarow/sab131
Various things as Kokeshi

koosha 円型校舎 school building
koma 独楽 こけし spinning top
taru 樽 こけし barrel
tokkuri 徳利 こけし sake server
Tokyo Tower 東京タワー こけし
uchidashi no kozuchi 打出の小槌 こけし


ama 海女 こけし diving women
kusuri uri from Toyama 越中富山の薬売り こけし
shuudoojoo 修道女と修道士こけし nuns
sushi お寿司屋さん こけし delivering sushi
stewardess スチュワーデス こけし

ballerina バレリーナ こけし
banzai バンザァ～イ こけし
Hitomi chan ひとみちゃん こけし
kai 貝細工のお土産品 shell dolls
Mittchi ミッチーこけし
modern girls モダンなマダム こけし
modern kokeshi モダン こけし
pearl dolls パール 人形
pierrot 不思議な ピエロこけし
ranpu ランプ こけし lamps
Takasago ya 高砂や～♪こけし wedding
yajirube モダンな やじろべえ

Manga figures and advertisments
- Kikko san キッコさん こけし
- Muhi ムヒ こけし cream
- Nonki naito san ノンキナトウサン こけし
- Oiwake Dango 追分団子 こけし
- Oojan whishey オーシャン こけし
- Peko chan ペコちゃん こけし
- Pion chan ピョンちゃん こけし rabbig
- Rumi chan ルミちゃん こけし
- Sazae san サザエさんと 波平さん こけし
- Takashimaya 高島屋 こけし
- 宇津救命丸 こけし

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KOKESHI CREATIVE GALLERY INDEX - extensive resource !
- source : soulportals.com -


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kokeshi こけし　kokeshi to eat

The head is a big nut or bean, the body is a stick with coated senbei.

. senbei 煎餅 rice crackers .


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. Join the Kokeshi Gallery of facebook .

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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .


. Tohoku after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011

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