SOSAKU KOKESHI DOLLS OF GUNMA

In Japan, the kokeshi folk toys are made by hand from wood. The design is simple, a straight trunk for the body, no arms nor legs, painted in solid color or patterned, and the head and face is defined with simple brush strokes.

Originally, the dolls were produced in the Northern villages of Japan and sold as souvenirs in the locale’s hot springs. Each town would create its own interpretation of kokeshi and producing unique styles in the doll’s structure and shape, color and painting technique, hair and head, facial expressions. The varied approach eventually became the basis of dento (traditional) kokeshi doll’s ten classic styles.

After the World War II, advancing technology gave kokeshi artists room for creativity. Sosaku (or creative) kokeshi became a trend. The new style, though basically conforming to the traditional doll construction, introduced new touches on the dolls—carving, added accessories, asymmetrical shapes, new colors. Soon enough, a few of these kokeshi designs were mass-produced, which lead to the represent Japan and not just a specific region.

The landlocked prefecture of Gunma happens to be one of the leading producers of sosaku kokeshi dolls today. It creates “modern kokeshi”, a style that’s “characterized by freedom from the conventional shapes of kokeshi”. One detail of this style is the bobbed hair and plump round body of the dolls.

While in Ikaho, our group took a side trip to one of the largest craft center of Sosaku Kokeshi dolls in the Japan, the Usaburo Kokeshi. In this factory, guests can visit the doll museum, shop from a wide array of dolls or paint their own

Kokeshi doll.

Usaburo kokeshi was founded by Usaburo Okamoto, who started making kokeshi dolls in 1950.

He incorporated machineries in the design and manufacturing of the dolls, and was drawn to using the keyaki and chestnut wood as his materials.

When it opened at its current address in 1979, it was equipped with modern facilities. A mass-production system integrating hand crafting and machine processing was established. With the high production yield, the company can meet the local and overseas demand.

It now exports to 18 countries today. Usaburo Kokeshi is at 1591, Nagaoka, Shinto-mura, Kitagunma-gun, Gunma Prefecture.

For more photos of this travel feature, visit www.jeepneyjinggoy.com

For event and lifestyle features, visit www. ofapplesandlemons.com

Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com