Japanese Culture: Kokeshi

Kokeshi (こけし kokeshi), are Japanesedolls, originally from northern Japan. They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. One characteristic of kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs. The bottom is marked with the signature of the artist.



History and etymology
The origin and naming of kokeshi is unclear, with historical ateji spellings including 小芥子, 木牌子, 木形子, and 木芥子. The hiragana spelling こけし was agreed on at the All-Japan Kokeshi Exhibition (全国こけし大会) at Naruko Onsen in August 1939. A plausible theory is that "kokeshi" is derived from wooden (木 ki, ko) or small (小 ko), and dolls (芥子 keshi).

Kokeshi were first produced by kijishi (木地師), artisans proficient with a potter's wheel, at the Shinchi Shuraku, near the Tōgatta Onsen in Zaō from where kokeshi making techniques spread to other spa areas in the Tōhoku Region. It is said that these dolls were originally made during the middle of the Edo period (1600–1868) to be sold to people who were visiting the hot springs in the north-east of the country.

Types
"Traditional" kokeshi (伝統こけし dentō-kokeshi) dolls' shapes and patterns are particular to a certain area and are classified under eleven types, shown below. The most dominant type is the Naruko variety originally made in Miyagi Prefecture, which can also be found in Akita, Iwate, and Yamagata Prefectures. The main street of the Naruko Onsen Village is known as Kokeshi Street and has shops which are operated directly by the kokeshi carvers.

"Creative" kokeshi (新型こけし shingata-kokeshi) allow the artist complete freedom in terms of shape, design and color and were developed after World War II (1945). They are not particular to a specific region of Japan and generally creative kokeshi artists are found in cities.

The woods used for kokeshi vary, with cherry used for its darkness and dogwood for its softer qualities. Itaya-kaede, a Japanese maple, is also used in the creation of both traditional and creative dolls. The wood is left outdoors to season for one to five years before it can be used.

Traditional types
Traditional types often correspond to a single or multiple onsen located within the Tōhoku region.

• Tsuchiyu (土湯系): Tsuchiyu Onsen (Fukushima), Iizaka Onsen (Fukushima), Dake Onsen (Nihonmatsu)
• Yajirō (弥治郎系): Yajirō (Shiroishi)
• Tōgatta (遠刈田系): Tōgatta Onsen (Zaō)
• Naruko (鳴子系): Naruko Onsen (Ōsaki)
• Sakunami (作並系) or Yamagata-Sakunami (山形作並系): Sendai (incl. Sakunami Onsen), Yamagata, Yonezawa, Sagae, Tendō
• Zaō Takayu (蔵王高湯系): Zaō Onsen (Yamagata)
• Hijiori (肘折系): Hijiori Onsen (Ōkura)
• Kijiyama (木地山系): Kijiyama (Yuzawa)
• Nambu (南部系): Morioka, Hanamaki Onsen (Hanamaki)
• Tsugaru (津軽系) or Nuruyu (温湯系): Nuruyu Onsen (Kuroishi), Ōwani Onsen (Ōwani)

Kokeshi In Popular Culture
The design of the Mii avatars on Nintendo's Wii video game console is based on that of kokeshi.

In the manga Kimi ni Todoke (volume 8, chapter 30) Ryu thinks to himself that the main character Sawako (aka Sadako) looks like a kokeshi doll.

Sora no Otoshimono shows the doll at some points, usually Ikaros is pulling the head off and back on

In the manga/anime Nichijou, one of the main characters, Yuuko, is hit by a kokeshi doll on the way to school.

The dolls of the Kimmidoll brand are based on kokeshi dolls .

Kokeshi dolls were in Kamisama no Iutoori, a survival game manga with supernatural elements.

Here is a wonderfully relaxing video of a Kokeshi being made:


Source: Wiki

http://justdubsonline.net/japanese-culture/kokeshi

 

I've never liked these things, I've seen them a few times in different shows and not once have I thought that they look like a nice decoration. There is something more creepy about them than artistic as far as I'm concerned, now I know this sounds like I should like these things but when it comes to dolls creepy is never better.