tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40273091412888622822024-03-17T03:52:47.290+09:00Kokeshi Adventures こけしの冒険Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-41649624978545083092016-11-03T13:01:00.001+09:002016-11-03T13:01:39.705+09:00A Different Kokeshi ちょっと変わったこけし<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Naoko is a big fan of darker woods used for making kokeshis, so when she saw the subject of this blog during her trip to Japan this summer I guess she couldn't help herself. In this beautiful piece by Togatta kokeshi 遠刈田系こけし master craftsman Sato Masahiro 佐藤正廣さん of Sendai the doll appears to be emerging from a raw piece of wood for a stunning effect. It's almost as though the kokeshi was inside the log just waiting to be released! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bfg-exUqZu6x3IB3K7EQfp-NFgftEpCXYkOezuP78dm_4L4DsJ7O_i3HAHGViFH1bvthX2kiGXdNHYH0nUQQ5s0TMKdhazzKTXxe7cbmLhugXE-pZ4hU_eo7QyMabB2roFrQCSqrZBk/s1600/IMG_4847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bfg-exUqZu6x3IB3K7EQfp-NFgftEpCXYkOezuP78dm_4L4DsJ7O_i3HAHGViFH1bvthX2kiGXdNHYH0nUQQ5s0TMKdhazzKTXxe7cbmLhugXE-pZ4hU_eo7QyMabB2roFrQCSqrZBk/s320/IMG_4847.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The wood Mr. Sato used is called Ichi'izai 一位材, or Japanese Yew, a kind of evergreen tree native to Japan and northeastern Asia. It has a very interesting grain that Mr. Sato has worked into the kokeshi's design.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This view shows the upper back half of the doll. You can see that Mr. Sato took the time to paint a flower design here, which is an unusual but welcome touch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a close up of the side showing the grain.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The face is classic Togatta.</td></tr>
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Finally we get to the underside of the kokeshi where we can see how nice the woodgrain is. From this view it also looks as though Mr. Sato may have used a stain to give the wood its sheen. I've never seen that before. The bottom characters say "Masahiro," while the darker characters say "Ichi'izai" which is of course the wood used to make this kokeshi.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-62466589627534361722016-10-26T13:59:00.002+09:002016-10-26T13:59:24.796+09:00A New Yajiro Kokeshi 新しい弥次郎こけし<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Getting back to the group of kokeshis Naoko picked up while in Japan this summer, today I am looking at a beautiful Yajiro kokeshi 弥次郎こけし by Ms. Niiyama Mayumi 新山真由美さん of Shiroishi City in southern Miyagi Prefecture. In many respects this is a perfect kokeshi, from the use of colors to the balance of the face, the striping, and so forth while the squarish head balances with the body perfectly. It's somewhat small -- about the size of a Star Wars action figure -- and is just so pleasant. Enjoy the photos!</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-52768924411506047772016-10-17T13:32:00.001+09:002016-10-17T13:32:39.724+09:00Togatta Kokeshi Event in Sugamo Part 2 巣鴨で遠刈田系伝統こけし製作実演 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Continuing from my previous post about the Togatta Kokeshi event in Sugamo that Naoko and Emily attended back in early July 2016, here are some more photos showing the main display table. So many wonderful pieces available, and they really show how beautiful Togatta kokeshis can be.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Togatta kokeshis from large to small.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darumas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kokeshi goods.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBFmKW4QhN0hGRRG9es6HmiEk5FxqfJXiDGAcd8BKg8wYW5OWKFcFa7g_TlelkFxe1zK0dJ-7ZNhJFF06t3pJkAOF4T6PzX4ESkvB2o6wNGQgisXK7DAXOzioRY_y8XiGXVtnqL5TvU4/s1600/IMG_0236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBFmKW4QhN0hGRRG9es6HmiEk5FxqfJXiDGAcd8BKg8wYW5OWKFcFa7g_TlelkFxe1zK0dJ-7ZNhJFF06t3pJkAOF4T6PzX4ESkvB2o6wNGQgisXK7DAXOzioRY_y8XiGXVtnqL5TvU4/s320/IMG_0236.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A kokeshi craftsman demonstrating the art of kokeshi making.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An area where kids could try out traditional Japanese toys.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The area where you could make your own kokeshi (1,000 yen).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiX6_6WZySROKXOVMQmBJMNvrgFPqN6KqWdSY6ilj2_kqSxnoEfK-IjwI6d7dWKRwl3NsfBsiuchMQghB3tEbq2dgxT5HNfDcEa5sGlUtVyrQ34npu5CLTvbiFV0CGzOtFASmB1jAsr8/s1600/IMG_0242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiX6_6WZySROKXOVMQmBJMNvrgFPqN6KqWdSY6ilj2_kqSxnoEfK-IjwI6d7dWKRwl3NsfBsiuchMQghB3tEbq2dgxT5HNfDcEa5sGlUtVyrQ34npu5CLTvbiFV0CGzOtFASmB1jAsr8/s320/IMG_0242.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the venue.</td></tr>
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According to Naoko this was an excellent kokeshi event, and it's pretty obvious from the photos that there was a lot to see and do even though it was not held up in northeastern Japan, the home of traditional kokeshis. I can't wait to get back to Japan so we can go to these sorts of events all the time.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-33889256863792310562016-10-17T07:01:00.001+09:002016-10-17T09:57:38.720+09:00Togatta Kokeshi Event in Sugamo 巣鴨で遠刈田系伝統こけし製作実演<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few posts ago I stated with absolute certainty that Naoko only made it to one kokeshi event during her Japan trip this summer. Well, I had forgotten about the other kokeshi event that she went to; a big Togatta kokeshi 遠刈田系こけし event held at the Koganji Temple in the Sugamo section of downtown Tokyo from 1-5 July 2016. Naoko and our daughter Emily went on 2 July and had a great time. By the way Koganji holds two annual kokeshi events (July and November), so if you're going to be in Tokyo in the future please check to see if something is happening there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance to the Sugamo shopping street.</td></tr>
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Below is the first set of photos from that event, and as you can see it was pretty awesome -- lots of kokeshis and guests in a beautiful venue in a fun part of the city. Naoko got our two new wooden Daruma dolls at this event (discussed in a previous blog), plus an ejiko kokeshi by Ogasawara Yoshio and a unique half branch, half kokeshi (if I could describe it that way) by Sato Masahiro. I'll discuss these new purchases in a couple of upcoming blog entries.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Event poster.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance into the venue -- pretty obvious that it's a kokeshi event.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant kokeshi lanterns. I love these things!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The event was obviously well attended.</td></tr>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-64659675684342819862016-10-13T14:27:00.002+09:002016-10-13T14:27:16.975+09:00NHK Kokeshi Show On Line NHKこけし番組オンライン<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Before I get back to the kokeshis that Naoko found this summer, I wanted to alert readers of this blog that NHK World has posted a fantastic 30-minute travel show called "J-Trip Plan" about visiting Naruko Onsen 鳴子温泉 in Miyagi Prefecture. I have often discussed Naruko and its amazing kokeshi culture, and J-Trip Plan presents it very nicely. <a href="http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/jtripplan/20160620/" target="_blank">Please click here</a> to go to the NHK World site where you can see the program in its entirety. During the first ten minutes or so the announcers discuss hydrangea viewing in Kamakura during the rainy season (also interesting), but the rest of the show is devoted to Naruko, including a stop at the National Kokeshi Museum, a bath in an onsen (hot bath), kokeshi making, and buying kokeshis and kokeshi-themed gifts. Of course after you watch this program you will need to fly to Japan and see this place in person. Here are a couple of screen captures from the show which I hope will wet your appetite for a fantastic future kokeshi adventure!<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-81364524091523447132016-10-11T14:07:00.002+09:002016-10-11T14:07:32.536+09:00Two Darumas 達磨<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As many readers may know, traditional kokeshi makers often make Daruma heads. Like kokeshis, there is an infinite variety of Daruma designs, shapes and sizes. Naoko picked up two splendid pieces while in Japan, both by a relatively new craftsman named Kan'ichi-san from Sendai City whose last name we do not know. We do know that he is the student of Mr. Sato Masahiro, and in fact we met him at Mr. Sato's workshop a few years ago when he was probably still in the early stages of his training. When I track down his family name I'll update this blog.<br />
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The first piece I would like to discuss is a cylindrical Daruma with a red nose, slightly crossed eyes, and a faint smile. The real Buddhist monk Bodhidharma ("Daruma" in Japan), founder of Zen Buddhism, is normally depicted wearing a red cape and sporting a bushy beard. In this case Kan'ichi-san has heavily stylized the beard by using a thick black line. Overall this is very appealing, and like a kokeshi that expresses so much with one or two pieces of lathed wood and painted lines, the effect here is similar. The size is about three inches high.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMO9OQyegr8fBcWcc6Th5LHk1KTiv5TuAJPUJUDOaI8QlOTwmxK1oQwkF1Li7t-2swv1k5SMizCktrWEhGhNHv2JQWP8myO7dfcN94U-R2fMyp80qbi9ZXJRvqXsJx-UWprU6yPJkvmzc/s1600/IMG_4829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMO9OQyegr8fBcWcc6Th5LHk1KTiv5TuAJPUJUDOaI8QlOTwmxK1oQwkF1Li7t-2swv1k5SMizCktrWEhGhNHv2JQWP8myO7dfcN94U-R2fMyp80qbi9ZXJRvqXsJx-UWprU6yPJkvmzc/s320/IMG_4829.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottom of the Daruma with Kan'ichi's signature.</td></tr>
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The second Daruma by Kan'ichi is this little fellow below, and the effect is completely different than the one above. It's quite tiny -- about one inch -- and the face is extremely expressive. For this piece Kan'ichi made the face less stylistic and more realistic, and the grumpy appearance is simple and appealing. Remember that the craftsman is painting onto a curved wooden surface using a fine brush, which must be tricky.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiRA-x4yia8WI2-wqRFHqz-1dMjfFF-KKKScRd0qg2wl2yFIzQ_u_-AXd3AVgqS9tdQXNMNl4-f8bCrO1n5kGkXYBM4ZZ9mR7M3oOafA9AFcHRldmAAwQD5MSnUmLomQH6RduW2nwQt0/s1600/IMG_4830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiRA-x4yia8WI2-wqRFHqz-1dMjfFF-KKKScRd0qg2wl2yFIzQ_u_-AXd3AVgqS9tdQXNMNl4-f8bCrO1n5kGkXYBM4ZZ9mR7M3oOafA9AFcHRldmAAwQD5MSnUmLomQH6RduW2nwQt0/s320/IMG_4830.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgHwstvu4X-Xgnb5Kc6_pXa5ynN9OypfifYNTW7c1k8b3CYGn0UR9f_eWzIDlKVtkq3youd4d70dRHuOGU13e1N7Shm-Gx_sXF_22q4pYmY-J56d6NQz4BKwJXDGTvKhQ_yob2j1uGH8/s1600/IMG_4831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgHwstvu4X-Xgnb5Kc6_pXa5ynN9OypfifYNTW7c1k8b3CYGn0UR9f_eWzIDlKVtkq3youd4d70dRHuOGU13e1N7Shm-Gx_sXF_22q4pYmY-J56d6NQz4BKwJXDGTvKhQ_yob2j1uGH8/s320/IMG_4831.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottom of the smaller Daruma. Kan'ichi-san wrote just "Ka" rather than his whole name.</td></tr>
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Below are the two Darumas together so you can compare not just the size difference, but also Kan'ichi-san's approach to doing the faces, beards, eyebrows, noses and mustaches. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFGRlDa9sCJzAb6sILZ8vfGkiAOXIAPKVrtmxIGluNKX-LfIQVSDek6-B_cJuWOk7ePc8Ic1orc4Lq1-7dMz3kRrtKX8S46a2yPK3wins3yh2UQDq4lDIuRheTy2igr7MTsHh8InR8_w/s1600/IMG_6579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFGRlDa9sCJzAb6sILZ8vfGkiAOXIAPKVrtmxIGluNKX-LfIQVSDek6-B_cJuWOk7ePc8Ic1orc4Lq1-7dMz3kRrtKX8S46a2yPK3wins3yh2UQDq4lDIuRheTy2igr7MTsHh8InR8_w/s320/IMG_6579.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As noted above, there is a huge variety of Daruma styles in Japan, not just among those created by kokeshi makers but also among the traditional paper-mache Darumas that are so famous. Kan'ichi-san's work is a nice addition to that tradition.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-2292089241720794082016-10-09T06:05:00.004+09:002016-10-09T06:05:46.660+09:00A Black and White Tsuchiyu Kokeshi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The second of the nine new kokeshis that Naoko collected during her summer trip to Japan is this beautiful Tsuchiyu kokeshi 土湯系こけし by Mr. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Abe Kunitoshi 阿部国 from Tsuchiyu Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture. We went to Tsuchiyu a couple of months after the March 2011 earthquake disaster and visited Mr. Abe's shop, but he wasn't in that day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_jgkIyNy8SN_8EfZL_xoHqxjviWmDSJRX9YSaFRwaVEcC6iQHW4N-ZYpfZiw9hUs33_qyBIjO6aigAIHIN4FVFCGH8LqmC5CZnNwkoYL5gYdnN0byLqw5ELW3yHvlGh44iuwV7B_-qU/s1600/IMG_4824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_jgkIyNy8SN_8EfZL_xoHqxjviWmDSJRX9YSaFRwaVEcC6iQHW4N-ZYpfZiw9hUs33_qyBIjO6aigAIHIN4FVFCGH8LqmC5CZnNwkoYL5gYdnN0byLqw5ELW3yHvlGh44iuwV7B_-qU/s320/IMG_4824.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This kokeshi is 4 and 7/8ths inches high and is the first black and white (or really, black and wood) one that I believe I've seen. It has a light coating of wax to protect the paint, and it is a perfect example of a Tsuchiyu face, body design, and striping. If you look closely at the stripes on the body you'll notice some waves, and as I recall Tsuchiyu craftsmen create that effect by quickly forwarding and reversing the lathe as it spins. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwprp_TrA0fH7KFGBsnl9YTM_pqs2U06jUD_10WDANx8kv6wkbGJnfAtLkAazs0PqNXPXwhb6jLhs-N0VY7RJjBTBTo3BHQgEepdyHaVKrEPAc0w5n_lH1B-OacU2mAZqPnb2PrbvXwo/s1600/IMG_4850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwprp_TrA0fH7KFGBsnl9YTM_pqs2U06jUD_10WDANx8kv6wkbGJnfAtLkAazs0PqNXPXwhb6jLhs-N0VY7RJjBTBTo3BHQgEepdyHaVKrEPAc0w5n_lH1B-OacU2mAZqPnb2PrbvXwo/s320/IMG_4850.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
This top-down shot shows the circle pattern on the crown, the hair on the forehead, and a very nice floral pattern that bridges those elements nicely.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJxWCdXxeRQwj7g3FjUILPuB3DTGocH3YFem_mabNlf8L9Ra3f_06YE9MG9wv4_j3LZrs6zy4Sor09KcG20wtQoeGx_-Xmj_gm6ZMabEAEjkqVQHPXRORhCs2hZ5Y0ImjmXTeg5XOh5E/s1600/IMG_4825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJxWCdXxeRQwj7g3FjUILPuB3DTGocH3YFem_mabNlf8L9Ra3f_06YE9MG9wv4_j3LZrs6zy4Sor09KcG20wtQoeGx_-Xmj_gm6ZMabEAEjkqVQHPXRORhCs2hZ5Y0ImjmXTeg5XOh5E/s320/IMG_4825.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Tsuchiyu kokeshis tend to have a U-shaped nose, and Mr. Abe uses a noncommittal expression that I find appealing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqdhLOwFQV2IdLsmOxXN5sn4dXolrtaG3jrv4AP4qcqe5Qcc8bhIYrfzPNhZE9dSVVF-DNGxvEkMhGjuV5m9vTemfVtiw0c4MYJgcgIzbXrcN21TmhX8PeXC9IEOZ9sKp6FgROhcTHVA/s1600/IMG_4827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqdhLOwFQV2IdLsmOxXN5sn4dXolrtaG3jrv4AP4qcqe5Qcc8bhIYrfzPNhZE9dSVVF-DNGxvEkMhGjuV5m9vTemfVtiw0c4MYJgcgIzbXrcN21TmhX8PeXC9IEOZ9sKp6FgROhcTHVA/s320/IMG_4827.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And finally here's Mr. Abe's very stylized signature on the bottom-- I must admit that it is completely indecipherable to me!<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-25578251736161341502016-10-07T14:43:00.001+09:002016-10-07T14:43:10.549+09:00A Black and White Yajiro Kokeshi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the previous blog entry I discussed Naoko's trip to Japan and her one kokeshi adventure in downtown Tokyo. Today I am going to talk about a beautiful black and white Yajiro kokeshi 弥治郎系こけし by Mr. Niiyama Yoshinori 新山吉紀さん that Naoko purchased. We met Mr. Niiyama <a href="http://kokeshi-adventures.blogspot.com/2013/03/december-2012-adventure-7-127.html" target="_blank">back in December 2012</a> (it was very cold that day) at his workshop located on the grounds of the Yajiro Kokeshi Village in Shiroishi City in southern Miyagi Prefecture, so that is a pleasant connection with this kokeshi.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ju0fVk68RT6vlQav8-dJkFQwlQ9jRjBKmibZjqjpnLBN20WSTXaDHHwsn9pGhbBzGQG1E34VO9dLHxQy3YT55yoXkJ9SN2pg-c3EGIaqD_l7Nr43HbNjZ6BCfDUIidLU0j7BsmxkOVE/s1600/IMG_4821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ju0fVk68RT6vlQav8-dJkFQwlQ9jRjBKmibZjqjpnLBN20WSTXaDHHwsn9pGhbBzGQG1E34VO9dLHxQy3YT55yoXkJ9SN2pg-c3EGIaqD_l7Nr43HbNjZ6BCfDUIidLU0j7BsmxkOVE/s320/IMG_4821.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Black and white kokeshis are not all that common, which might be one reason why I like them. I especially like the fact that Mr. Niiyama made the hair ribbons red, the only bit of color on this piece other than the mouth. As we can see this is actually a very simple design with some thin black lines along with thicker gray lines, all of which serve to accentuate the shape of the wood. The doll's height is about four inches, or ten centimeters.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJEezxx7cQW7ox0oopPHAhv6jkY6Bap4tXwx66mtoLFZ1OepbgdP8c9leyGga-Z3SczgHyzY1zsPQq0ce1ahDc_xtK-p8BULQGB3vcg3RLomlR8EHBH2mmDKkXwRUSa2XS7dPLRXsKd8/s1600/IMG_4842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJEezxx7cQW7ox0oopPHAhv6jkY6Bap4tXwx66mtoLFZ1OepbgdP8c9leyGga-Z3SczgHyzY1zsPQq0ce1ahDc_xtK-p8BULQGB3vcg3RLomlR8EHBH2mmDKkXwRUSa2XS7dPLRXsKd8/s320/IMG_4842.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Looking down from the top we can see the "snake eye" pattern on the crown, but this would usually be painted in bright colors on a typical Yajiro kokeshi.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjit9rQSyA5mgzxy9MIymzZSZxg2eEFkoixUJ6ge7Ufe7mSvMrtbnIWu7qWJmbYs90gXpCYcXSqC_uJVBd8fN8sgy7Wccckd2r3DeN9ZDwjLT6QHsu7yQpxb6Ywpw2QdIHLVYgHjbQtHg8/s1600/IMG_4822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjit9rQSyA5mgzxy9MIymzZSZxg2eEFkoixUJ6ge7Ufe7mSvMrtbnIWu7qWJmbYs90gXpCYcXSqC_uJVBd8fN8sgy7Wccckd2r3DeN9ZDwjLT6QHsu7yQpxb6Ywpw2QdIHLVYgHjbQtHg8/s320/IMG_4822.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The next image is a close up of the face where we can see a wisp of hair in the middle, the collar of the kimono, the slight nose, the sparing use of red, and the delicate brush work for the locks of hair that frame the face. In my opinion this is a very well done Yajiro kokeshi.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKcU10NfzUCj_BYXQzxaUWvbXJcaGWhoIbFCiiY1lbMQi1wBFqdw0-rYL5vJxKfeBZ2ov1vTdLHniRh-ifTpV3N-307uGaPoNBiD8n_FldmDRRZRyWwKFh1Qlr7NmMP5oblAOCJVaZcM/s1600/IMG_4823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKcU10NfzUCj_BYXQzxaUWvbXJcaGWhoIbFCiiY1lbMQi1wBFqdw0-rYL5vJxKfeBZ2ov1vTdLHniRh-ifTpV3N-307uGaPoNBiD8n_FldmDRRZRyWwKFh1Qlr7NmMP5oblAOCJVaZcM/s320/IMG_4823.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Finally, turning the kokeshi over we can see Mr. Niiyama's stylized signature. I must say that Naoko found an excellent piece for our collection.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-47327943508865467092016-10-05T11:08:00.003+09:002016-10-05T11:08:47.255+09:00Some New Kokeshis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This summer Naoko and the girls went to Japan, and of course the trip included a kokeshi adventure. On 17 June Naoko hopped on the train to Uguisudani Station in downtown Tokyo to attend the 5th Shitaya Kokeshi Festival 第5回 下谷こけし祭り. The event was held at a cool shop called Hikimono Gangu Negishi 挽物玩具ねぎし which is owned by a kokeshi collector whom we know. Naoko knew about the festival thanks to a post card that came a few weeks before departing.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9NbOe58iLSPyxW00shQt6yYuwhu33jQ9noNubvg3o2ho6ou8CXDNvnR8zoBL1HzeOg80wAHtSlrzGDaNIhZNS_lOCTpBFIkfsLlsOXdNRViILYZ8xhpQUDafebOVZ2RpOOOSSZpGswA/s1600/2016_dm_omote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9NbOe58iLSPyxW00shQt6yYuwhu33jQ9noNubvg3o2ho6ou8CXDNvnR8zoBL1HzeOg80wAHtSlrzGDaNIhZNS_lOCTpBFIkfsLlsOXdNRViILYZ8xhpQUDafebOVZ2RpOOOSSZpGswA/s320/2016_dm_omote.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back of the post card for the festival.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VwmNgPJZx4SQAGW4Pd8UqDA0lJoupRtTR53rzFGag_Z_nqPellWUg3z0JWbeEJ6jufpAIsqv36UYxSztRfQkWfagiOZui6jV5rZxXid-vbuKFKhtt2X03QK4kfVVzqj7b_6TJ211g-I/s1600/2016_dm_ura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VwmNgPJZx4SQAGW4Pd8UqDA0lJoupRtTR53rzFGag_Z_nqPellWUg3z0JWbeEJ6jufpAIsqv36UYxSztRfQkWfagiOZui6jV5rZxXid-vbuKFKhtt2X03QK4kfVVzqj7b_6TJ211g-I/s320/2016_dm_ura.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front of the post card for the festival.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-L8LUAXJnEaobMwX7L69n1oVzh3_CcTmChs5sa8VxcsuOVCBOqrUI1ocYlsLYNCf9dGapkXW0Uk3yJKRI6J_ZoXDG1W6oFfjuv_pv1fV7G8BkPNRUIof9NI4Xzmj7gkpDtJl4ZpzY7E/s1600/IMG_9303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-L8LUAXJnEaobMwX7L69n1oVzh3_CcTmChs5sa8VxcsuOVCBOqrUI1ocYlsLYNCf9dGapkXW0Uk3yJKRI6J_ZoXDG1W6oFfjuv_pv1fV7G8BkPNRUIof9NI4Xzmj7gkpDtJl4ZpzY7E/s320/IMG_9303.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The platform sign at Uguisudani Station.</td></tr>
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Unfortunately photography wasn't allowed inside the shop, but Naoko reported that it was a successful event with lots of people. She also saw some of our friends from the Tokyo Kokeshi Tomo no Kai, and was even interviewed for NHK TV (though Naoko didn't make the air -- oh well). Six kokeshi craftsmen were on hand selling their wonderful work, and Naoko brought nine pieces back to California as shown in the photo below. I wish I could have been there too.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbvYrzmcmYBQdQ0PihSKPLgb6Bu4o65Yhm4nK2lm6CDFnQ7gQYAMn03JdZodwx-3vJWbBMpaxgDXCGEjSAoIrxXN9deCZdKSeU2K4SDB-xlq7ResOVfGhdH3U05ev123N2SGt5omeDKs/s1600/IMG_4820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbvYrzmcmYBQdQ0PihSKPLgb6Bu4o65Yhm4nK2lm6CDFnQ7gQYAMn03JdZodwx-3vJWbBMpaxgDXCGEjSAoIrxXN9deCZdKSeU2K4SDB-xlq7ResOVfGhdH3U05ev123N2SGt5omeDKs/s320/IMG_4820.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our nine new pieces: Seven kokeshis and two Darumas.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The craftsmen who came to Tokyo for the festival were Honma Naoko 本間直子さん, Niiyama Mayumi 新山真由美さん, Niiyama Yoshinori 新山吉紀さん, Onuma Hideaki 大沼秀顕さん, Abe Kunitoshi 阿部国, and Hiraga Teruyuki 平賀輝幸さん. I'll talk about of the kokeshis that Naoko bought in the next few blog posts.</span></div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-22364104442556474962016-09-27T14:28:00.003+09:002016-09-27T14:28:55.309+09:00Fall through Winter Kokeshi Festivals 秋から冬へのこけし祭<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A reader wrote asking about this year's Michinoku Kokeshi Festival みちのくこけしまつり in Yamagata City, and there are probably many people interested to know when and where it's occurring. This festival is considered to be one of the big three annual kokeshi festivals so it's well worth attending. The only problem is that it is not really being advertised yet, and it took me a while to find a source that provides a date and location. According to the <a href="http://www.nihon-kankou.or.jp/yamagata/detail/06201ba2212019436" target="_blank">Japan Travel and Tourism Association web site</a> (link is Japanese language) this year's festival is December 3rd and 4th at the Yamagata Big Wing 山形ビッグウイング convention center. When my family and I attended the festival it was in October at the Nana Beans Building, so this is a change. Sorry, no poster, at least not yet. When I find out more information I'll be sure to announce it in an upcoming blog.<br />
Meanwhile, the Tokyo Kokeshi Tomo no Kai has announced a number of upcoming kokeshi events on its web site that I would recommend checking out (Japanese language only):<br />
<a href="http://www.tokyo-kokeshi.jp/">http://www.tokyo-kokeshi.jp</a><br />
Here are some highlights.<br />
14-15 October 2016: The 29th Annual National Traditional Kokeshi Craftsman Festival 第29回全国伝統こけし工人フェスティバル held at the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan 津軽こけし館 in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture. It's a free event, and there is a poster available below. <a href="http://kokeshi01.exblog.jp/24639266/" target="_blank">Click here to go to the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan web site</a> which has more info on this and other upcoming events.<br />
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1 October through 27 November 2016: The Cute Kokeshi Exhibit KAWAIこけし展 at the Yokohama Doll Museum in Yokohama City. This looks fantastic, and for anyone living in the Kanto area this is a great opportunity. The cost is 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for kids. Please see the poster below and <a href="http://www.doll-museum.jp/1217" target="_blank">click here for further details</a> (Japanese language).<br />
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For those who can attend the above events please enjoy them for those of us outside of Japan!</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-72582166186972435592016-09-26T15:15:00.001+09:002016-09-26T15:15:05.818+09:00Kokeshi Jidai 13 こけし時代13号<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Greetings fellow kokeshi fans. I have been away from doing this blog for a while, but am back and am looking forward to discussing all things kokeshi from our home in the Bay Area, California. Meanwhile, Naoko was in Japan for the summer and observed that the traditional kokeshi world is still going strong in 2016. This is good news for the kokeshi craftsmen and everyone who loves the result of their hard work. I'll pass along more of what she saw in some upcoming blog entires.<br />
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While in Japan Naoko was also able to get the latest edition of <i>Kokeshi Jidai</i> magazine, which is now up to issue 13 that came out in April 2016. We missed issue 12, so we'll have to order that soon before it's sold out. Most kokeshi fans in Japan probably already have this issue, but those living in foreign countries might not know that it's available. Therefore I've provided a few images of the inside of the magazine so you'll know what to expect if you're thinking of purchasing it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front cover of issue 13 is actually a thin layer of real wood glued to the paper cover. Beautiful.</td></tr>
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The focus of this issue is Hijiori kokeshis 肘折こけし from Hijiori Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture. I've always liked this kokeshi family since the lips are painted realistically making the kokeshis quite striking. As always there are plenty of articles on the kokeshi craftsmen, individual kokeshis, and local hot springs (onsens) that make me want to get back to northern Japan.<br />
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Besides the articles on kokeshi and hot baths there's an article about a couple in Finland whose folk art is inspired by kokeshis, a report on kokeshi fans in Osaka, and three articles about kokeshi collectors. I was very interested to see how others display their kokeshi collections, such as what we can see in the image above.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back cover of issue 13.</td></tr>
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I love <i>Kokeshi Jidai</i> magazine and am always happy when a new issue comes out. This issue was 2,500 yen (about $25 US) which isn't cheap, but its nearly 290 pages on high quality paper. Of course if you're an enthusiast then you'll understand why it's really a bargain.<br /><br /></div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-24481987501547098862015-09-14T07:31:00.002+09:002015-09-14T07:31:56.580+09:002014 Rokuro Festival 2 2014 ろくろまつり 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">C</span>ontinuing with the October 2014 Rokuro [Lathe] Festival ろくろまつり held in the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan parking lot, we parked and jumped out of the car to see what was going on. I didn't know who was going to be there (though Naoko might have), and I was happy to find that there were a number of craftsmen whom we have visited and gotten to know over the years: Ms. Honma Naoko 本間直子さん from Aomori, Mr. Hiraga Teruyuki 平賀輝幸さん from Sakunami, and Mr. Shida Kikuhiro 志田菊広さん of far western Yamagata. When we arrived there wasn't a huge selection of kokeshis compared to what we saw the previous day at the Michinoku Festival, so I think sales had been brisk on the first day. That said, there were still plenty of kokeshis available, and we of course added a few more pieces to our collection before the day was over. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at the venue. Kokeshis on the left, food on the right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Shida chatting with Naoko and the girls.</td></tr>
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The Rokuro, or Lathe Festival lived up to its name with a working lathe on which the craftsmen were giving demonstrations. They were also painting kokeshis, so for those who aren't able to get to the often rural homes of the kokeshi makers this was a good chance to see a variety of craftsmen at work. For instance there was a group of tourists from France while we were there, so they had picked the right place to not just buy kokeshis and meet lots of craftsmen, but also to see how they are made.<br />
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The following photos are an overview of what we saw at the event, and it was excellent. Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naoko and the girls taking with Mr. Hiraga.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hiraga's kokeshis.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mascot of the Togatta -Zao Kokeshi Kan , Zao-sama, was also seen at the event.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of those kokeshis are actually tiny Zao-sama kokeshis.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare Iwate kokeshis by Mr. Susumago Morizo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms. Honma Naoko's Tsugaru kokeshis.</td></tr>
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So that's what the Rokuro Festival looks like, and I hope we're able to get back to see it in the next few years. This year is going to be the 26th and 27th of September, so if you're in Japan or will be visiting go up to Miyagi Prefecture and spend the day at this important annual kokeshi event. In the next blog I'll take a look at the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-10884713728585325382015-09-08T09:24:00.003+09:002015-09-08T09:24:49.360+09:002015 Rokuro Matsuri Announcement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">S</span>ince I'll be talking about the Rokuro Matsuri (Lathe Festival) at Toggata Onsen over the next couple of entries I might as well announce that the 2015 Rokuro Matsuri is scheduled for 26 and 27 September at the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan みやぎ蔵王こけし館. On Saturday 26 September it will run from 10 to 4, and on Sunday 27 September it goes from 10 to 3. According to the event poster below there will be twelve kokeshi craftsmen taking part -- amazing! What a great chance to meet a large number of craftsmen in one place, add numerous kokeshis to one's collection, and even visit the the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan which has free admission on those days. There's not a whole lot of information on line about this event, but I'm sure it will be great.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-88086004424876525862015-09-08T09:08:00.000+09:002015-09-08T09:08:07.713+09:002014 Rokuro Festival 1 2014 ろくろまつり 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2qn6E4HWzmW84r-hOy1t8lsGo816Gm5Cm_Tg3cgfHYL5gRkYyShiEqpgDwUJ6J85no_oB9LpTwjT0JTBrtPl_H9igDgm5IvrYASeVD9G1ug1O_7wXzXlf15xgDzWVxYhHxXC8RQk8h4/s1600/IMG_5972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2qn6E4HWzmW84r-hOy1t8lsGo816Gm5Cm_Tg3cgfHYL5gRkYyShiEqpgDwUJ6J85no_oB9LpTwjT0JTBrtPl_H9igDgm5IvrYASeVD9G1ug1O_7wXzXlf15xgDzWVxYhHxXC8RQk8h4/s320/IMG_5972.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster for the Rokuro Matsuri.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">F</span>ollowing the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival on 4 October last year (2014) we spent the rest of the day in Yamagata City, which is also where we spent the night. We got up the next morning feeling refreshed, grabbed some breakfast to go at a nice bakery, and then got on the highway for the other major event that weekend -- the the 26th annual National Traditional Kokeshi Lathe Festival 全国伝統こけしろくろまつり, or Rokuro Matsuri held at the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan みやぎ蔵王こけし館 near Togatta Onsen 遠刈田温泉. Rokuro means "lathe" in Japanese, and Togatta is one of the major kokeshi homelands, so suffice it to say this festival is an important one. As I mentioned in a previous blog the Rokuro Matsuri is typically held on the exact same weekend as the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival so we were never able to make it until this year. In the next couple of entries I'll show what we saw, but I did want to point out that one reason this festival is more challenging to<br />
attend than Michinoku is that it's only accessible by car. Furthermore, as we shall see below the route will take you on small country roads in the middle of nowhere with limited signage, so a GPS is essential. That said the payoff is worth it, and if you can make it to the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan then you can also visit the Togatta Kokeshi Village and the workshops of various kokeshi makers located in town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTws5mxwVRCge4FFvubZ6IHBtOERPPccRzVYtres5ZaGfEz4u9QII3ki8dDMzyDvNJEtZtKO3IF1gMbPVM4aWWOrikBS_3HBb7CtsoyOSgV3IEC2_0eyYCwFqvVxo1vdr1ur_9NEnIUw/s1600/IMG_9427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTws5mxwVRCge4FFvubZ6IHBtOERPPccRzVYtres5ZaGfEz4u9QII3ki8dDMzyDvNJEtZtKO3IF1gMbPVM4aWWOrikBS_3HBb7CtsoyOSgV3IEC2_0eyYCwFqvVxo1vdr1ur_9NEnIUw/s320/IMG_9427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going east on the Yamagata Expressway we got off at the Miyagi-Kawasaki exit. From there it became extremely rural.</td></tr>
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We headed due east through the mountains out of Yamagata Prefecture and into Miyagi Prefecture. Interestingly the prefectural border is actually marked in the middle of a long tunnel. As we headed back down towards sea level we exited at the Miyagi-Kawasaki exit and then found ourselves on rural prefectural roads going through rice fields and woods. Fortunately Naoko had her iPhone and trusty Google Maps, so we were pretty sure we were going the right way. If you're driving north or south on the Tohoku Expressway then get off at the Murata Interchange.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91CR1lMawX5u4AlWFEvG68QUi4buSph5nRNGyO9qkHyb7WMcv2i1ZBRXr8Fk6Ig4g1_IVrkp0fzVbhUSEJr-elLSk8rHBiionetpy6-ibMaVMz8daLy5gnc3f5gwRfHqXCelmEdjwj3U/s1600/IMG_9428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91CR1lMawX5u4AlWFEvG68QUi4buSph5nRNGyO9qkHyb7WMcv2i1ZBRXr8Fk6Ig4g1_IVrkp0fzVbhUSEJr-elLSk8rHBiionetpy6-ibMaVMz8daLy5gnc3f5gwRfHqXCelmEdjwj3U/s320/IMG_9428.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We turned at this old stone monument.</td></tr>
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The funny thing was that after exiting the highway Google Maps had us turn onto narrow, unmarked roads, so there was some guesswork involved as to whether or not we were on the correct road. But we could sense were going in the right direction and we got to see some beautiful countryside along the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoHNUuJN00vnRBEBgchwnfnpiXf4dkQtoE7qFiS9WmsiT6rakuNVwpcLJ5OHf8QsPx6MO_dk2G1pCgYI9CqAPzwkQaJXHppDg8OSluZjGEbVaFXD828-WNNfYOISKL1rUxJSc7UEvZL8/s1600/IMG_9429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoHNUuJN00vnRBEBgchwnfnpiXf4dkQtoE7qFiS9WmsiT6rakuNVwpcLJ5OHf8QsPx6MO_dk2G1pCgYI9CqAPzwkQaJXHppDg8OSluZjGEbVaFXD828-WNNfYOISKL1rUxJSc7UEvZL8/s320/IMG_9429.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At one point we were driving on this 1.5-lane country road.</td></tr>
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Early October is when the rice is ready for harvest, and Miyagi Prefecture is a big rice-producing region. As such we were treated to magnificent golden fields of ripe rice letting us know that fall was imminent.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCZAUVok9crVo1bVipZiegsuhs6xF-GkpqaR-sOU3JDJDhgWOx5Ghh0fEcI0mqmCKQszv65StD5U2aQ1X_2-g60AjnxMoxkJgR6xibjnjBPSNTna7WUMRjsbp448jaC1szeoBvlvWRXc/s1600/IMG_9431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCZAUVok9crVo1bVipZiegsuhs6xF-GkpqaR-sOU3JDJDhgWOx5Ghh0fEcI0mqmCKQszv65StD5U2aQ1X_2-g60AjnxMoxkJgR6xibjnjBPSNTna7WUMRjsbp448jaC1szeoBvlvWRXc/s320/IMG_9431.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
After many turns and a pleasant drive through the countryside we finally entered Togatta via a bridge that has large kokeshis that appear to be standing guard. It is aptly named Kokeshi Bridge こけし橋. The kokeshis appeared to have been freshly painted and stood out nicely against the gray sky. Note: Once you reach this bridge you are almost at the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHstFR3hLa6jjzyCrTyue0FXro-A6ioVHeXDsqr-JeOi0XwDf5GeVlV3CfqCZBYGmLfLRUgYYxr21SXclSRXXkFAIV5LW1C5T1dfTaHvjPYLgF1zO2XW9J0QzQ2CrMt-5Ud1oomsPQbI/s1600/IMG_9436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHstFR3hLa6jjzyCrTyue0FXro-A6ioVHeXDsqr-JeOi0XwDf5GeVlV3CfqCZBYGmLfLRUgYYxr21SXclSRXXkFAIV5LW1C5T1dfTaHvjPYLgF1zO2XW9J0QzQ2CrMt-5Ud1oomsPQbI/s320/IMG_9436.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gateway to Togatta.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The festival being held outdoors.</td></tr>
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By the time we arrived the festival was in full swing and since the weather was nice it was being held outside. There were a lot of cars and since the regular parking lot near the Kokeshi Kan was being used for the tents we had to park in the grace. But parking wasn't a problem and soon we were strolling up to our second major kokeshi festival in two days!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGaq91KGmK-_QubyUYuWKhyphenhyphengrONzewJ-usp71FOsEUZoSBNwMfETFTDqTAHF3cxwQ_U-cY9fYWEBDYErA5vLD-NihyFLtpC7iVjqyAFTEUlE_zIY3uWR7A4AD6PpSNEssCjUTYT7KJ6Q/s1600/IMG_9466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGaq91KGmK-_QubyUYuWKhyphenhyphengrONzewJ-usp71FOsEUZoSBNwMfETFTDqTAHF3cxwQ_U-cY9fYWEBDYErA5vLD-NihyFLtpC7iVjqyAFTEUlE_zIY3uWR7A4AD6PpSNEssCjUTYT7KJ6Q/s320/IMG_9466.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the festival banners.</td></tr>
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In upcoming blogs I'll show some photos of the festival and the Kokeshi Kan.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-3222515774606284022015-09-02T12:33:00.000+09:002015-09-02T12:33:03.286+09:00Yamagata Traditional Kokeshi Kan やまがた伝統こけし館<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A</span>fter finishing up with the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival at the Nana Beans Building in Yamagata City we decided to check out the Yamagata Traditional Kokeshi Museum やまがた伝統こけし館 (<i>Yamagata Dento Kokeshi Kan</i>) since it is located on the 5th floor of the Nana Beans Building. It's true that we were pretty worn out from the festival, and we had been inside the museum before, but how could any self-respecting kokeshi fan pass up the chance to visit a kokeshi museum? Besides, it was free admission and there was a display of kokeshi art that really piqued my curiosity.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxqvVtZjJMzze62uqHesaT4XOGTWYN-FR7C89N5ncHyxbCq8NdGXvbmAzaSZOxxixpa8RkNsSVdpVijVjrRvrzOZ-WmHWMy5D_0_QsHyZysrfqEbdcgP-C6Ui9iZGjM_xAIWwIfd9YvQ/s1600/IMG_9332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxqvVtZjJMzze62uqHesaT4XOGTWYN-FR7C89N5ncHyxbCq8NdGXvbmAzaSZOxxixpa8RkNsSVdpVijVjrRvrzOZ-WmHWMy5D_0_QsHyZysrfqEbdcgP-C6Ui9iZGjM_xAIWwIfd9YvQ/s320/IMG_9332.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Yamagata Traditional Kokeshi Museum. </td></tr>
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Lugging our heavy bag of kokeshis that we bought at the festival Naoko, the girls and I entered the museum for about 20 minutes. There was a lot to see including a large collection of traditional kokeshis (made up of four separate personal collections), plus wooden toys and other various exhibits. I think we were the only people there as everyone else was still in the festival hall. While there isn't a gift shop selling kokeshis, each Sunday between one and four o'clock you can try and paint your own kokeshi for 300 yen. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQQT7T2NNt_vjO4PT2S2g45g5zqxuq7lKzPFv7WwHkfbfPRcRmLRvyLLL2ThKnsi1QpH9070HLXaYRb1MphbTxgGXgWxUeq8xfn2-sv1Yqem7P9GU0z85qMOW4dITht8xekrljsV7bXA/s1600/IMG_9414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQQT7T2NNt_vjO4PT2S2g45g5zqxuq7lKzPFv7WwHkfbfPRcRmLRvyLLL2ThKnsi1QpH9070HLXaYRb1MphbTxgGXgWxUeq8xfn2-sv1Yqem7P9GU0z85qMOW4dITht8xekrljsV7bXA/s320/IMG_9414.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A case filled with traditional wooden toys.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8Ol24vb3QAlWAgtoRwjDLniZ8hHDU7uKIUhayGEducxhOn-elU9LpmcWrtjJ-kmi40b2TkvIxUjgowpidljnhBdunQvmhdDsNKOzp0_hRbz_NrwCWHdaPYsnx8Jidth9nr6bCScwDWI/s1600/IMG_9407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8Ol24vb3QAlWAgtoRwjDLniZ8hHDU7uKIUhayGEducxhOn-elU9LpmcWrtjJ-kmi40b2TkvIxUjgowpidljnhBdunQvmhdDsNKOzp0_hRbz_NrwCWHdaPYsnx8Jidth9nr6bCScwDWI/s320/IMG_9407.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMwWUeszk3RpcvXPkrkGYfiAQnzzRkD4G78IfVXFg4qbHQlydaj7fc1Z2xRSH_WH6RfGvXDxFdC2MVGJDGaxmV3hdKXtY6DtPxUDKUxJnG_WXfkqiDYCWCjz1notQDzoeGujEw1lYjf0/s1600/IMG_9409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMwWUeszk3RpcvXPkrkGYfiAQnzzRkD4G78IfVXFg4qbHQlydaj7fc1Z2xRSH_WH6RfGvXDxFdC2MVGJDGaxmV3hdKXtY6DtPxUDKUxJnG_WXfkqiDYCWCjz1notQDzoeGujEw1lYjf0/s320/IMG_9409.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
What I really wanted to see, though, was the kokeshi art exhibition which consisted of two types of art. The first type was paintings by various kokeshi craftsmen of their own kokeshi styles. In essence these paintings are like 2-D kokeshis and are a popular part of the kokeshi culture. Here are some images of what was on display.<br />
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The other type of art on display I actually found more intriguing, though I do not know who created it. Perhaps one artist? Or many artists? It was a series of woodblock prints, and the simplicity of the kokeshi design really lends itself to being portrayed in this art style. I would love to get some of these to display in my house! Please enjoy these images.</div>
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Oh yes, one other thing that I found interesting was the mounted collection of historic posters for the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival back to its beginning. Event posters are yet another aspect of the kokeshi culture that I am happy to see are being preserved.</div>
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So that was the Yamagata Traditional Kokeshi Museum, a highly recommended destination for all kokeshi enthusiasts who plan on being in the Yamagata area. <a href="http://www.kankou.yamagata.yamagata.jp/db/cgi-bin/search/search.cgi?panel=detail&d01=111008056626462" target="_blank">Click here for information (in Japanese)</a>.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-80569197941721048892015-08-31T04:31:00.005+09:002015-08-31T04:31:40.210+09:002014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival Winners 2014 みちのくこけしまつり入賞作品<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Continuing our adventure to the 2014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival in Yamagata City, I have posted below a series of photos showing the winning kokeshis. It turns out that the ones on display were actually the winners from 2013, something I only realized as I was preparing to post this blog entry. Regardless, as I noted in a previous blog this and the other major annual competitions are a big deal for the craftsmen. For us enthusiasts, we get to see and photograph the pieces that the craftsmen submitted as what they believe to be their very best work. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIqau6efEXFXc5XHU7JoiOAdmqGPcF4VcxFo9jvDu1yYuaSTEvcJoooKbjWj5yCGgEEvbLGYOOUtNJwmSmDT00tpy1EntL3fFA81OQVnwiDkP4zYproHODmFRK0QjTAHf2zCYBkAV4yo/s1600/IMG_9335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIqau6efEXFXc5XHU7JoiOAdmqGPcF4VcxFo9jvDu1yYuaSTEvcJoooKbjWj5yCGgEEvbLGYOOUtNJwmSmDT00tpy1EntL3fFA81OQVnwiDkP4zYproHODmFRK0QjTAHf2zCYBkAV4yo/s320/IMG_9335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main hall with the winning kokeshis along the left wall.</td></tr>
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The competition judges range from the prime minister of Japan, to various national and prefectural ministries, newspaper and media companies, etc. It's likely that these people are not kokeshi experts or even enthusiasts, so they probably choose what they like in terms of the craftsmanship and simply what they enjoy looking at. If you think about it that's undoubtedly a good way to do it since the judges wouldn't be swayed by a famous name or particular type of kokeshi.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCO2u2gCiBOFreQyrDa7MZYwjqZWUeUCukUN4mUeJri-6Vi3NmuyDXB2ukMxyqFrqxw7uXb4HrJlEtd-0mPPxNsCrXUHVdXXWvq6xOJACoZE7VEVx2T_ARaLtpkSJ1RgHUUr95rlZZeT4/s1600/IMG_9384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCO2u2gCiBOFreQyrDa7MZYwjqZWUeUCukUN4mUeJri-6Vi3NmuyDXB2ukMxyqFrqxw7uXb4HrJlEtd-0mPPxNsCrXUHVdXXWvq6xOJACoZE7VEVx2T_ARaLtpkSJ1RgHUUr95rlZZeT4/s320/IMG_9384.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just noticed as I was preparing this photo that, according to the sign on the wall, the winning pieces on display were actually the winners from 2013.</td></tr>
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The rest of the photos show the winning kokeshis, the names of the craftsmen, and the prizes won. It's all in Japanese but I'm not going to translate them since it would take too much time. If a reader has any questions about these kokeshis and the award they received just leave a comment below.</div>
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The Michinoku Kokeshi Festival competition also includes wooden toys. I'm not particularly interested in these but I can appreciate the craftsmanship that went into making them. Here are a few pictures of some winning pieces that were on display.<br />
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So that's what we saw at the 2014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival. It's obviously not as festive or crazy as the National Kokeshi Festival at Naruko Onsen, but it's an major event and a great opportunity to meet kokeshi makers, greet fellow collectors, and add a variety of new pieces to one's collection. This year's event looks like it will occur on November 7th and 8th, but I haven't been able to find any solid information about it yet. That said, if you are a kokeshi enthusiast and will be in Japan in early November then by all means try to get up to Yamagata for this festival.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-48260419424710707542015-08-31T03:50:00.004+09:002015-08-31T03:50:55.744+09:002014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival 3 2014 みちのくこけし祭り3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">C</span>ontinuing from the previous blog entry, here are more photos of what we saw for sale on the floor of the 2014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhRBsUtieMoaUItr_wHXNPvwRylgUBDBFoAZThdtSdZWxK0jOtyTiFhhaVIbOIvrK3gORcC7zVmYupKvlwqrQJppkLTIClUhNKwsh26jIB0BtWVBk5Wo-S99HFx9mJ8kjDKXXZslt2EY/s1600/IMG_9364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhRBsUtieMoaUItr_wHXNPvwRylgUBDBFoAZThdtSdZWxK0jOtyTiFhhaVIbOIvrK3gORcC7zVmYupKvlwqrQJppkLTIClUhNKwsh26jIB0BtWVBk5Wo-S99HFx9mJ8kjDKXXZslt2EY/s320/IMG_9364.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ni-shaku (2-foot) 二尺 kokeshis for sale.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BFfNH6Ge8g4v2G7vCdz9qfT0ZfRtNfgZ53ZSe5jLshEnwuPWJyHTlERNhCjGVhYzaLUUSC2YDLOjJKnOa2GKh-5QRcsBf_5aMr8QkF88mI5FNsBh6yj4LCGH8VcJQPMmVt47YW9HH_A/s1600/IMG_9377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BFfNH6Ge8g4v2G7vCdz9qfT0ZfRtNfgZ53ZSe5jLshEnwuPWJyHTlERNhCjGVhYzaLUUSC2YDLOjJKnOa2GKh-5QRcsBf_5aMr8QkF88mI5FNsBh6yj4LCGH8VcJQPMmVt47YW9HH_A/s320/IMG_9377.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Among the wooden toys for sale were these beautiful kendamas . This traditional toy has become really popular in parts of the US in the last couple of years, but I rarely see real Japanese-made ones out here.</td></tr>
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In the next blog I'll show the winning kokeshis from the completion, followed by an entry of what we saw in the Yamagata Kokeshi Kan located just down the hall from the festival.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-59559982855273891092015-08-31T03:38:00.001+09:002015-08-31T03:38:50.634+09:002014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival 2 2014 みちのくこけし祭り 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">F</span>ollowing my little jaunt around Zao (as described in the previous blog entry) we grabbed some breakfast items at a convenience store, checked out of the hotel, and headed down the mountain to Nana Beans in beautiful Yamagata City. Yes, "Nana Beans," the name of the building where the Yamagata Kokeshi Kan (museum) is located and where the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival みちのくこけしまつり is held every year. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lTkD4ggar3U8PwfL4_isY95x6cG7huCNG9XC7WEgnWZV2x5jfZQG3GM_tM88_QMJxiq6CPHD8xf5XV3aLs0DeBHekz82ZJefPhHl-VDZKvdAnDwewnoEdlES8ehmjZk3VMT1qjhQEfw/s1600/IMG_9329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lTkD4ggar3U8PwfL4_isY95x6cG7huCNG9XC7WEgnWZV2x5jfZQG3GM_tM88_QMJxiq6CPHD8xf5XV3aLs0DeBHekz82ZJefPhHl-VDZKvdAnDwewnoEdlES8ehmjZk3VMT1qjhQEfw/s320/IMG_9329.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The poster for the kokeshi festival.</td></tr>
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After arriving in the city we easily found parking across the street from Nana Beans and anxiously headed over the festival that had started perhaps an hour earlier. As we entered the building we found a hand-written sign saying the the kokeshi festival was on the 5th floor. So far so good. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Translated literally: "Kokeshi Festival is 5th Floor."</td></tr>
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When we got to the 5th floor there was a human-sized kokeshi painting on the wall saying that the Yamagata Traditional Kokeshi Kan やまがた伝統こけし館 was also to the right. We took a quick look on our way out of the festival, so I'll talk about that in another blog. </div>
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There was no fee for the festival, but you could buy a program and other kokeshi-related pamphlets, books and posters. I don't recall if we bought any paper items. Maybe so, but our main goal was of course to find some good kokeshis.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reception desk selling pamphlets, books, and posters.</td></tr>
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The reception desk was on the left as we entered the hall, and to our right was a display of the different kokeshi families and a map of where they come from. They put this up every year and it's really well done. In fact if ever do a kokeshi show of some sort perhaps I'll set up a similar display. Behind that were long rows of kokeshis. The ones that were for sale were in the center and arranged by type while the competition winners along the left wall. The competition is a big part of these annual festivals for the collectors since they get to see the best that the craftsmen have produced. I have also learned recently that if a craftsman wins the Prime Minister's prize three times at one of the three major competitions -- Yamagata (Michinoku), Naruko, and Shiroishi -- he or she becomes a <i>meijin</i> 名人. <i>Meijin</i> here translates as "master" or "expert," which is apparently not only an important recognition in the kokeshi world, but also means that that craftsman is authorized to make an original kokeshi. I would like to learn more about this.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaNiTLERtKeHvyD5pNARi2AhYuQzimA_D1Z2ewhoxSazpxd0eBrkFDAMIUdEUy-dPmCSqd08qQ7cibpRAqVSp17rzQLVT0ujpSnibZtdy5KsUKj8lrHmmPUSCUAvxkE25WLdhmi9vguc/s1600/IMG_9344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaNiTLERtKeHvyD5pNARi2AhYuQzimA_D1Z2ewhoxSazpxd0eBrkFDAMIUdEUy-dPmCSqd08qQ7cibpRAqVSp17rzQLVT0ujpSnibZtdy5KsUKj8lrHmmPUSCUAvxkE25WLdhmi9vguc/s320/IMG_9344.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The display showing all the types and where they come from.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Getting back to the festival, Naoko and the girls immediately grabbed a shopping basket and started looking for pieces to add to our collection. Judging by the number of people already milling around the hall, this year's event was very well attended. In fact the table with Mr. Abe Shin'ya's 阿部進矢さん kokeshis (one of Naoko's favorites) was already completely sold out when we arrived!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mduBOvYb9wkgqcVk2CvcgoKeljlQp9lstI0HM9b0xlM7ZDKbFs7MOZ_WymaCDUZwzwI6vkfD6vLJV0fwxo0FpiGltPx6852BRbD3xKQ1k1_p7hmogdjDqsm0ltJO_V_t_0MFFy8iAdI/s1600/IMG_9334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mduBOvYb9wkgqcVk2CvcgoKeljlQp9lstI0HM9b0xlM7ZDKbFs7MOZ_WymaCDUZwzwI6vkfD6vLJV0fwxo0FpiGltPx6852BRbD3xKQ1k1_p7hmogdjDqsm0ltJO_V_t_0MFFy8iAdI/s320/IMG_9334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view looking into the hall. Note the shopping basket that fellow is holding on the left. We saw some people who had filled their basket to the brim.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58hkQpEUmcxNfhFZr5QatnPf9cHV9RPBT2JTNu3Hr5mlIRkJ9mD9_oNdwobzKQSB1WGbOr2OyY_GFBx_LhfqH1AO4FEkWQq6FzdgdEMz8ZTihFp622zorBo1BOOZlVVfiWcR3pJxsUoY/s1600/IMG_9355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58hkQpEUmcxNfhFZr5QatnPf9cHV9RPBT2JTNu3Hr5mlIRkJ9mD9_oNdwobzKQSB1WGbOr2OyY_GFBx_LhfqH1AO4FEkWQq6FzdgdEMz8ZTihFp622zorBo1BOOZlVVfiWcR3pJxsUoY/s320/IMG_9355.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a shot looking back the other way. As this photo shows the hall was quite large and already crowded when we were there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There was plenty to see at the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival, and once you made it all the way to the back you could also talk with the five craftsmen who had been invited to the festival. And by all means chat with them -- they love to meet the people who buy their work. Here are some photos of that important part of the event.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVrxyyuznXMi8dakTcpgXiwbWLWKqWhbfbVnaWi5z47gGDA_tivDsVFYnDiB9JGJe68Oz80WqPQD8r1Ch9FIKA43IXPR39r94Srlp4zpbN2jLZmPBpk1r4gxzEByYq6k8e__9SaEAwOg/s1600/IMG_9339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVrxyyuznXMi8dakTcpgXiwbWLWKqWhbfbVnaWi5z47gGDA_tivDsVFYnDiB9JGJe68Oz80WqPQD8r1Ch9FIKA43IXPR39r94Srlp4zpbN2jLZmPBpk1r4gxzEByYq6k8e__9SaEAwOg/s320/IMG_9339.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Craftsmen's Corner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAT5ZblUF1U28VqiIZBjg3wZLschRBVErLk4qLuvaVE_pY2b0QH0a_Z_roNJDHeqGQ0qGN-ruyhOuugTmN-8KuUAvH8ZFpMEf1bGp71cwbGifHXuCnmMZeB5amRsiAIjj8VsVBUHShNs/s1600/IMG_9340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAT5ZblUF1U28VqiIZBjg3wZLschRBVErLk4qLuvaVE_pY2b0QH0a_Z_roNJDHeqGQ0qGN-ruyhOuugTmN-8KuUAvH8ZFpMEf1bGp71cwbGifHXuCnmMZeB5amRsiAIjj8VsVBUHShNs/s320/IMG_9340.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Abe Kunitoshi 阿部国<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">敏, </span>a Tsuchiyu craftsman famous for his smiley, bobble-headed kokeshis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavrfY_u8PHtT-nW0jOey3YrxqSowquNbZslQ6ROwbypNduB-MxqVDUl0tVNyK6Mmq7aeNm08ziqUrEMRAElS-qLSCA_J32m7uMvwQBU8rXOGyMnK5YoiFm13EShlz9WNwwuztUDrQLOc/s1600/IMG_9342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavrfY_u8PHtT-nW0jOey3YrxqSowquNbZslQ6ROwbypNduB-MxqVDUl0tVNyK6Mmq7aeNm08ziqUrEMRAElS-qLSCA_J32m7uMvwQBU8rXOGyMnK5YoiFm13EShlz9WNwwuztUDrQLOc/s320/IMG_9342.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Abe's regular Tsuchiyu kokeshis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnRlckOwPbDaz7pYRVDkBlPCdAVftb-1amjQiN1m_ACWmdssOOtg3nSeeWYTna8P_PmSZaz4LzXR5XryMR6Qhv77_228zkClRKxkp2Y3VSUdEwbxf7y4hSehECiJPvSue4DLKJecscjg/s1600/IMG_9341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnRlckOwPbDaz7pYRVDkBlPCdAVftb-1amjQiN1m_ACWmdssOOtg3nSeeWYTna8P_PmSZaz4LzXR5XryMR6Qhv77_228zkClRKxkp2Y3VSUdEwbxf7y4hSehECiJPvSue4DLKJecscjg/s320/IMG_9341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Abe's famous smiley kokeshis. Our girls got the red and blue ones on the center right of the photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5tgsn1mOZFY4YB6ZsFD_W_RcLMdPqUM8Pu1NtVEgZdZ_bYeWpbW8Tp9EoAAS4yHgWA5a8nBBrRPhBznJBEIjRquhCTi_K-cDYV1STww66sDyUim5xvXLrHHb4N4O0dCgFm37eSiuFmU/s1600/IMG_9345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5tgsn1mOZFY4YB6ZsFD_W_RcLMdPqUM8Pu1NtVEgZdZ_bYeWpbW8Tp9EoAAS4yHgWA5a8nBBrRPhBznJBEIjRquhCTi_K-cDYV1STww66sDyUim5xvXLrHHb4N4O0dCgFm37eSiuFmU/s320/IMG_9345.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naoko chatting with Mr. Onuma Hideaki 大沼秀<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">顯さん</span> of Naruko Onsen. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzFqfuVYfhG-3IDYuhpqbTf1Sc-TKOKHk9sWThzkQPX4LGwtAsFAbadfJ6_am3VgpWlpJCprlu0XCZv6ireyRCj3sybSzOuraE7aG8vwbG32mT1g2eiLaZUuzAwE4sFzzTtLJClar7Uc/s1600/IMG_9347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzFqfuVYfhG-3IDYuhpqbTf1Sc-TKOKHk9sWThzkQPX4LGwtAsFAbadfJ6_am3VgpWlpJCprlu0XCZv6ireyRCj3sybSzOuraE7aG8vwbG32mT1g2eiLaZUuzAwE4sFzzTtLJClar7Uc/s320/IMG_9347.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Sasamori Jun'ichi 笹森淳一さん, a Tsugaru craftsman from Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqPg4QXSieut69mEdSORVkPcL1oO17UL6b5pJMzBkc47j_A25PXjMrt_R7nd9x01TW34lLQiOstnQcAbPiWiC7eMT7-gzhZn8TsQkQ5lw6IB2jLjmqQhuK7hyphenhyphenIRt5Jvy5oxZb7YBEBO4/s1600/IMG_9348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqPg4QXSieut69mEdSORVkPcL1oO17UL6b5pJMzBkc47j_A25PXjMrt_R7nd9x01TW34lLQiOstnQcAbPiWiC7eMT7-gzhZn8TsQkQ5lw6IB2jLjmqQhuK7hyphenhyphenIRt5Jvy5oxZb7YBEBO4/s320/IMG_9348.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Togatta craftsman Mr. Ogasawara Yoshio 小笠原義雄さん from Sendai City. It might be hard to see but Naoko got me the kokeshi head (actually a hollow bowl and cap) located a little bit left of center. Really a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzRfnwNWHHFe3Ci_IS2VUqjNV5at7P-FjvBY03V4a9hjmyRqOvmU3CkCGrmruCYdg9aKvZks6zrCeR9DIGeuk35QHTnJBSltdP8YPTPInK81NrYMTuyzB1_XCc_fG3Gwu-Bsg2qveMo8/s1600/IMG_9350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzRfnwNWHHFe3Ci_IS2VUqjNV5at7P-FjvBY03V4a9hjmyRqOvmU3CkCGrmruCYdg9aKvZks6zrCeR9DIGeuk35QHTnJBSltdP8YPTPInK81NrYMTuyzB1_XCc_fG3Gwu-Bsg2qveMo8/s320/IMG_9350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Sugawara Osamu 菅原修さん, a Naruko craftsman from Akita Prefecture. His work is very distinctive and pleasant but also hard to find, so we bought one. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7rS7KbGGPP1rjUYhCLCQuqPJYJsemwUaePSHIOD_DkLbyyL2u49xCeDlxxhiQxkUzliLFW14zo3YZdhHx9CqeVHJW6LoDjVs-DjVk3bHtbOq7GAFJ0fpNc7_iPWNCmjyvqKg2OhFiaQ/s1600/IMG_9351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7rS7KbGGPP1rjUYhCLCQuqPJYJsemwUaePSHIOD_DkLbyyL2u49xCeDlxxhiQxkUzliLFW14zo3YZdhHx9CqeVHJW6LoDjVs-DjVk3bHtbOq7GAFJ0fpNc7_iPWNCmjyvqKg2OhFiaQ/s320/IMG_9351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Sugawara's kokeshis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For expediency's sake I've posted a series of photos showing some of what was available for sale at this year's festival. As you can see there was a tremendous variety, but at the same time the pieces were moving very quickly because there were so many people in attendance.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After picking out all the kokeshis we wanted to add to our collection we had to pay for them. So Naoko lined up with her shopping basket and took care of that. Note for non-Japanese attending this and other big festivals: You will receive a ticket from the craftsman for the kokeshis you would like to buy, and then after paying at the cashier you bring the receipt to the craftsman who will then give you your purchase. As for the kokeshis sitting on the tables, those you put directly in your basket and pay for them directly at the cashier.<br />
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I've shown a lot here, but not everything. In the next blog I'll upload more photos and details of what we saw at the 2014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-64380239563232926662015-08-28T14:12:00.002+09:002015-08-28T14:12:52.308+09:002014 Michinoku Kokeshi Festival 1 2014 みちのくこけし祭り 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">S</span>eeing that the 2015 kokeshi festival season is almost upon us I might as well show some photos from our final major kokeshi adventure in October 2014 when we headed back to Yamagata and Miyagi Prefectures for the Michinoku and Rokuro Kokeshi Festivals respectively. These two big festivals are, inexplicably, on the same weekend every year, and we have always chosen to go to the Michinoku Festival since it's easy to find a hotel in downtown Yamagata City where that festival takes place. This year though our goal was to attend both festivals which I'll cover in the next few blog entries. Before I get into that though I'll describe the process of getting up north and where we stayed the first night.<br />
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Because our kids were in school and I had to work we got a late start out of Tokyo on the afternoon of 3 October. Fortunately we had good conditions and the Tohoku Expressway was relatively clear, so it was a smooth drive that got us up to Yamagata by early evening. Our destination, though, was a ski hotel located in Zao Onsen 蔵王温泉 that had very reasonable room rates at this time. Zao Onsen is a hot spring town that is fairly close to Yamagata City and that sits on the side of Mt. Zao, an active volcano that has been showing signs of activity lately. But you can't be scared of volcanoes if you're looking for kokeshi adventures, so we made the drive up the windy road in the dark and finally got checked into our room at the Zao Center Plaza Inn (click <a href="http://www.center-plaza.jp/" target="_blank">here if you'd like to see what it looks like</a>) around 8 pm. Nothing special, but as I say, the room rate in early October was good. There was also a small collection of kokeshis on display in the lobby which I took to be a good omen. We enjoyed the hotel's onsen and then quickly fell asleep, anxious to see what was going on at the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival that started the next morning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIsZ5fdwJxGNhkaKMViHqLBmqXYTp9fSr3dfBqJKklX9juVpABhovk0j_a7YPSwIOb94v5OLKxx6FC4LwV6Q4dFmzs0oLOsEmykDIvFCG0vnkUXLupKtFc5WO9whpO4BfvHIuLv2bLVA/s1600/IMG_9279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIsZ5fdwJxGNhkaKMViHqLBmqXYTp9fSr3dfBqJKklX9juVpABhovk0j_a7YPSwIOb94v5OLKxx6FC4LwV6Q4dFmzs0oLOsEmykDIvFCG0vnkUXLupKtFc5WO9whpO4BfvHIuLv2bLVA/s320/IMG_9279.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kokeshis on display at Zao Center Plaza Inn.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exterior view of the Zao Center Plaza where our inn and onsen was located. To my right was a convenience store where we got coffee and pastries for breakfast.</td></tr>
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While Naoko and the girls were still asleep I got up early to take some pictures and see the town which has been a hot spring destination in Japan for 1,900 years! Zao is also the home of one of the eleven kokeshi families, though there are only a couple of craftsmen still working in the town. One of them is Mr. Okazaki Ikuo 岡崎幾雄さん, a Zao kokeshi 蔵王系こけし maker whose shop I strolled by in order to take some photos. Of course it was closed at six on a Saturday morning, but I wanted to see the building since it's a very handsome structure. We've been here before and I like his style of kokeshi and the quality of his work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd25iPZXnLhyXkMFsDcKPn7w1r3zLtisCNcMKvJobT1CPeLSeG322tBvwwK7zcaHnrOrWDUW8gEyva1k_1_ixJcy-mJN5o4GyN5jSFekoo_OAuJNQNJUmifRc6IOASaynVOg04b8EDydQ/s1600/IMG_9312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd25iPZXnLhyXkMFsDcKPn7w1r3zLtisCNcMKvJobT1CPeLSeG322tBvwwK7zcaHnrOrWDUW8gEyva1k_1_ixJcy-mJN5o4GyN5jSFekoo_OAuJNQNJUmifRc6IOASaynVOg04b8EDydQ/s320/IMG_9312.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Okazaki's kokeshi shop is also beautiful architecturally.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw5c2poOL7pHSpc6N9NRKPUNaPjLs2kBXtgbrhUEaLDxRcCUMq2-_jN6av3elKZnTbL-sOWaN5JSRsNk2gaiQBGUXnepvXo4JFquNCm1e_t7Vs07ScjcPlmGgKy5LWJbgDRKnaxun8to/s1600/IMG_9311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZw5c2poOL7pHSpc6N9NRKPUNaPjLs2kBXtgbrhUEaLDxRcCUMq2-_jN6av3elKZnTbL-sOWaN5JSRsNk2gaiQBGUXnepvXo4JFquNCm1e_t7Vs07ScjcPlmGgKy5LWJbgDRKnaxun8to/s320/IMG_9311.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front window to the shop.</td></tr>
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I wandered around Zao for a bit longer enjoying the cool morning air, the steam billowing from multiple hot springs, and of course the smell of sulfur that never lets you forget that there's a dormant but possibly active volcano lying almost beneath your feet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hyphenhypheniU0_KSCW5LbpGqvIyVRbuYhtIg7F5xbgHjE7tsFMSWOmbwW7qgYcAATLBhNMD5IA3GsFcZZ-BKOdSdVmcjlDyX2V023hz22mMx6OeZtE_SPipArP_Me-UAQS_S5IUfDuIdZE_V5wQ/s1600/IMG_9288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hyphenhypheniU0_KSCW5LbpGqvIyVRbuYhtIg7F5xbgHjE7tsFMSWOmbwW7qgYcAATLBhNMD5IA3GsFcZZ-BKOdSdVmcjlDyX2V023hz22mMx6OeZtE_SPipArP_Me-UAQS_S5IUfDuIdZE_V5wQ/s320/IMG_9288.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zao Onsen's main street early morning on a Saturday.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkWpzbsVx0NKEYyNLsf6ATlIOdhBG-31j1geEtG4W8wCgcI49gE7Z7dSLbvcZvhu44qmaqBO4KpbB91ANIYkIpNMY-rbYo5kgMm37r1KaqEwkFyVp36H2uuMfOYFLeJWiz4kP9lPym8E/s1600/IMG_9294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkWpzbsVx0NKEYyNLsf6ATlIOdhBG-31j1geEtG4W8wCgcI49gE7Z7dSLbvcZvhu44qmaqBO4KpbB91ANIYkIpNMY-rbYo5kgMm37r1KaqEwkFyVp36H2uuMfOYFLeJWiz4kP9lPym8E/s320/IMG_9294.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a waterfall of hot spring water.</td></tr>
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Another interesting kokeshi-related spot in Zao is the Kokeshi Inn こけしの宿 (<a href="http://www.kokeshinoyado.com/" target="_blank">Kokeshi no Yado -- click to see the website and the stone kokeshi in onsen</a>) that I took a quick picture of. Despite its obvious kokeshi theme we've never stayed there, but have walked past it wistfully numerous times. I really hope that we get to lodge there sometime in the future. Zao is a neat place with lots to see and do, but at its core it is an onsen and kokeshi town. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5TghUG4ja4uxTXQkgDMXIc3285h6JwhSwrOOGhCKNKNRmdmVVZCedkmAwa9wtW2_ViuviIQcnKq05JetJ9IKW5LVUFTXJFcQXRdqW7FO8unhD8w1lm2mWzyM0AkmGM9xk5h6EfxJ9x8/s1600/IMG_9301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5TghUG4ja4uxTXQkgDMXIc3285h6JwhSwrOOGhCKNKNRmdmVVZCedkmAwa9wtW2_ViuviIQcnKq05JetJ9IKW5LVUFTXJFcQXRdqW7FO8unhD8w1lm2mWzyM0AkmGM9xk5h6EfxJ9x8/s320/IMG_9301.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign for the Kokeshi Inn こけしの宿 </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8qCMhqqUpmuGTipmkyib6dUHmUBfI6g-1JBqSOXvRUOMzi331nY3J31ABzcoMC-kE4jXeXQjYp9ycQRnZROI1SENXKU_QkLyVvWzW7Z3dNx8BwxkqWZFjn9WvKXBaZMTMMepB21fiko/s1600/IMG_9302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8qCMhqqUpmuGTipmkyib6dUHmUBfI6g-1JBqSOXvRUOMzi331nY3J31ABzcoMC-kE4jXeXQjYp9ycQRnZROI1SENXKU_QkLyVvWzW7Z3dNx8BwxkqWZFjn9WvKXBaZMTMMepB21fiko/s320/IMG_9302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many public onsen buildings that can be found throughout the town.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Y6mrPmq-C1TllmWxcYZoTNNJ-LIDH4_lHjMAtZhc5KOUNYvx37jy0Ox-ilMgxsM2YKIjbuo-zM2_kUy_K5C3X8iQq965D9FEtyppHAvEaPsLTLBBNYZifnWYU0UmSEYMbT5abGFkTeQ/s1600/IMG_9303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Y6mrPmq-C1TllmWxcYZoTNNJ-LIDH4_lHjMAtZhc5KOUNYvx37jy0Ox-ilMgxsM2YKIjbuo-zM2_kUy_K5C3X8iQq965D9FEtyppHAvEaPsLTLBBNYZifnWYU0UmSEYMbT5abGFkTeQ/s320/IMG_9303.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of that small onsen was this fountain which has hot sulfuric water pouring out of it. To its right are two small benches on which you can sit while soaking your cold feet in the hot water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDYknUXSvlY3YNBWrfcAeK17dAiLU3M2HSAkkPEpCOyFVJSYreeLCYEq0quTQyOVpF99JN_8ONh_rfkU9sQkViT0ur2ZfYvECWjXy9R5317AKzIHBSmWYUtMKL02fv0FNrROf7u3JBEg/s1600/IMG_9304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDYknUXSvlY3YNBWrfcAeK17dAiLU3M2HSAkkPEpCOyFVJSYreeLCYEq0quTQyOVpF99JN_8ONh_rfkU9sQkViT0ur2ZfYvECWjXy9R5317AKzIHBSmWYUtMKL02fv0FNrROf7u3JBEg/s320/IMG_9304.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking into the fountain.</td></tr>
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In the next blog I'll get into the Michinoku Kokeshi Festival in Yamagata, but I did want to show what Zao looks like in order to let fellow kokeshi enthusiasts who might be traveling in Japan know that it is indeed a kokeshi town and very interesting place that you might want to consider paying a visit.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-46963377788118278202015-08-25T14:01:00.003+09:002015-08-25T14:01:29.450+09:00Kokeshi Book In English 英語版のこけし本<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">A</span> couple of years ago an English-language kokeshi book came out named <i>Kokeshi: From Tohoku With Love</i> by journalist Ms. Okazaki Manami. The book was designed as a fundraiser for victims of the 11 March 2011 disaster, but surrounded as I was in Japan with plenty of Japanese sources on kokeshis I didn't pay much attention to it. Furthermore, somehow the smallish paperback looked cheap, almost like an amateur self-published work. I saw it a few weeks ago at the Kinokuniya bookstore in San Francisco's Japan Town, but again I wasn't moved to buy it. However in the weeks following my trip to Japan Town <i>Kokeshi: From Tohoku With Love</i> has come out in a second edition, and this time it's hardback in a larger format with a new cover. I found it at the Kinokuniya in San Jose, and as soon as I saw it I had to make the purchase. Therefore, on a superficial level the hardcover, larger size, and new cover caught my eye and won me over.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New cover on the 2015 edition.</td></tr>
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As I say, the packaging got me to buy the 244-page book, and I am so glad I did. I have seen a lot of books about kokeshis over the years and this one really stands out. Moreover, it's in English so we finally have a book devoted to traditional kokeshis that's fully accessible to a non-Japanese audience. In terms of production values the photography is excellent, the quality of the paper and binding seem solid, and the writing is thoughtful and well done even though Ms. Okazaki is apparently neither a specialist nor a collector.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardcover edition.</td></tr>
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<i>Kokeshi: From Tohoku With Love </i>covers eight areas: A description of what kokeshis are, how they're made, the eleven families (or types), contemporary (modern) kokeshis, how to buy them, onsen culture, Tohoku culture, and interviews with craftsmen. Among these the sections I feel that the interviews with the twenty-three different craftsmen are essential reading that really add to knowledge. They are frank conversations about their lives as kokeshi makers, the apprenticeships and training they endured, wood and tools, booms and busts, relationships with customers, and so forth. For instance I did not know that most female craftsmen in the old days were trained by their husbands in order to meet demand back during the second kokeshi boom during the 1960s and 1970s. I was aware that a typical apprenticeship lasts for five years, but learned from the interviews in this book that kokeshi craftsmen generally consider ten years the point when one has reached actual competence. Ten years! I was also impressed that the craftsmen understand and can articulate why their work resonates with collectors, and that some of them are actually kokeshi enthusiasts themselves. <br />
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As noted the book covers 23 craftsmen of all the different families. We have visited some of those interviewed in the book, but there were others whom I've never heard of and whose work is delightful. Looking at the pictures -- and this book is as much a pictorial as it is a history or general narrative -- really makes me want to get back to Japan and into the world of kokeshis.<br />
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The last couple of sections of the book moves away from kokeshis and into the culture of onsens (hot springs) and Tohoku (Northeastern Japan) of which kokeshis are an integral part. I think this was a legitimate approach by Ms. Okazaki. After all, a theme of this blog has been been the connection between kokeshis and the land from which they sprang forth. Anyway, if you get this book expect a few chapters that are about topics tangential to the world of kokeshis. I do have one small criticism which is that the author should have named the kokeshi family and specific location of the kokeshi maker being interviewed. I kept wondering as I was reading "where is this maker from?" Oh yes; the author also uses the word "dummy" for a pacifier-type kokeshi made up in the Nambu area. That's apparently a British term which I had to look it up as it was new to me. Did it detract from the overall book? Not at all. <br />
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In fact there is absolutely nothing wrong with this book, and since the author let 23 different craftsmen talk about their lives and craft it has added greatly to the admittedly very limited English-language literature about kokeshis. And if reading the words of the craftsmen directly from their mouths isn't enough, another enticement should be the price. I got it for less than $19 including tax at Kinokuniya in San Jose, California, and it's available at Amazon US for $15. That, folks, is a genuine bargain, and no matter where you are in the world if you are a kokeshi enthusiast this book should be on your shelf both for reference and for planning future kokeshi adventures in Japan.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-12092626279359934352015-08-19T12:56:00.003+09:002015-08-19T12:56:09.058+09:00Journey to Hiyane in Kanda 神田のひやねの旅<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I</span>mmediately following the 23 November Tokyo Kokeshi Tomo no Kai meeting (discussed in the previous blog) a friend and I headed to Hiyane ひやね, one of the few shops in Tokyo dealing in traditional kokeshis. The word was out among the fellow collectors that something interesting was going on there, so we felt compelled to see it. We had been to Hiyane before, most memorably for the taping of an episode of a TV show about kokeshi collectors on NHK (<a href="http://kokeshi-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/kokeshi-adventure-on-nhk-world-nhk.html" target="_blank">click to see a blog entry about it</a>) back in July 2012. Hiyane, located in the Kanda section of Tokyo, is interesting since the first floor sells used books while the second floor is devoted to new and used traditional kokeshis. I believe it's also where the most hardcore enthusiasts meet to discuss kokeshis, but I'll have to check on that.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance to Hiyane. Don't let the used books on the first floor fool you -- just walk through and then up the stairs to get to the kokeshis!</td></tr>
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To be honest we were already fairly overwhelmed by the Tomo no Kai meeting, but decided that we had to see what was going on at Hiyane since it was only about a five-minute walk away. We headed upstairs and found that there was an exhibition and sale of new kokeshis going on featuring Tako Bozu たこぼうず and Togatta kokeshis 遠刈田系こけし. There were some really great pieces as you'll see below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ie8YSREFIPEN0Vfd47CtlgNqv8zL4-P-8av5qo-9vNhyphenhyphenyGFlDRqd2XwxZVOAcBvUtnce5CWmii3qKVjKpSvEF5tNOyXIpKuRMDAFe-zS63R1vb1h90TCIs4EbkTW12fMTlvOm3I78Ww/s1600/IMG_0514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ie8YSREFIPEN0Vfd47CtlgNqv8zL4-P-8av5qo-9vNhyphenhyphenyGFlDRqd2XwxZVOAcBvUtnce5CWmii3qKVjKpSvEF5tNOyXIpKuRMDAFe-zS63R1vb1h90TCIs4EbkTW12fMTlvOm3I78Ww/s320/IMG_0514.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Tako Bozu kokeshis.</td></tr>
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Not only that but famous Togatta kokeshi craftsman Mr. Sato Kazuo 佐藤一夫さん was actually there meeting guests. For some reason I didn't make the connection between him and his kokeshis (we visited he and his wife's shop in the Togatta Kokeshi Village back in 2012), but he did let me take a picture of him with his kokeshis. His work is absolutely beautiful and of the highest quality I must say.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTBq5sJXx1yJQmOsjPVZWCi9I9ao04RB3n9ffHRuncrB2ThM5k61UH4mIwBcXhGYjUYMtykKjQBzLtk5p60Z7jsyufh3UlSTif_pULzt5noJ1hTL23NJhAfq4w6UX1p_hjIU-q61hkL4/s1600/IMG_0516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTBq5sJXx1yJQmOsjPVZWCi9I9ao04RB3n9ffHRuncrB2ThM5k61UH4mIwBcXhGYjUYMtykKjQBzLtk5p60Z7jsyufh3UlSTif_pULzt5noJ1hTL23NJhAfq4w6UX1p_hjIU-q61hkL4/s320/IMG_0516.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master kokeshi craftsman Mr. Sato Kazuo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswJCyGLJXP_EfQkySw0dbmS61Mf_jgEr5TcSZ1joZaT0-ySa2zsgT4eqUnAmXLTgczjMJyaaUZBAMNwK1uQsTd89taqDiOBGt_wvtZ0ilMXAZ2yq2mYSw4bowRnYC3oyOfrsGSZz4m3M/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswJCyGLJXP_EfQkySw0dbmS61Mf_jgEr5TcSZ1joZaT0-ySa2zsgT4eqUnAmXLTgczjMJyaaUZBAMNwK1uQsTd89taqDiOBGt_wvtZ0ilMXAZ2yq2mYSw4bowRnYC3oyOfrsGSZz4m3M/s320/IMG_0513.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Sato kokeshis for sale.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3QRjWvoaM8CoZ5Q4uvlDKSFRy_b9oSPe-TP4ZqfJjskLbDFotWevwq3xy9TBakaQXTR_CrpKF-YjniBSyf1nmsscrx6fHMsNXzHmP9AB1GvfKnJifhpbj6uI4ev3Fp6B1AbNKhmknCE/s1600/IMG_0515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3QRjWvoaM8CoZ5Q4uvlDKSFRy_b9oSPe-TP4ZqfJjskLbDFotWevwq3xy9TBakaQXTR_CrpKF-YjniBSyf1nmsscrx6fHMsNXzHmP9AB1GvfKnJifhpbj6uI4ev3Fp6B1AbNKhmknCE/s320/IMG_0515.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And more. I really like those two giant ones -- I wonder how much they were?</td></tr>
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I think that any other time I would have been thrilled to be at Hiyane and meet with a craftsman, but having spent a few hours at the Tomo no Kai meeting where I had already bought a number of kokeshis, well, it was more than I could handle. So after a quick look we said goodbye to Hiyane and Mr. Sato and headed out. But that said, if you're in downtown Tokyo and would like to get some very nice traditional kokeshis then Hiyane is where you'll want to go. Here's the address, so just pop it into your phone's map and you'll be there in no time: <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.159997940063477px;">千代田区内神田2-10-2</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.159997940063477px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.159997940063477px;">.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0-aea4pAWopnYg94wOM8Nq1W84GxxBDgmh9D82bVoUK-DL7ISClBI9bsaLDfTV6geEaNwbSvIxyyiWD8P9setF4_rwmVoLZ7xYZYOHGvtkiPYFHDsfY37KrPZo4Z7SUyLyS85uDcOGA/s1600/IMG_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0-aea4pAWopnYg94wOM8Nq1W84GxxBDgmh9D82bVoUK-DL7ISClBI9bsaLDfTV6geEaNwbSvIxyyiWD8P9setF4_rwmVoLZ7xYZYOHGvtkiPYFHDsfY37KrPZo4Z7SUyLyS85uDcOGA/s320/IMG_0523.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shot night shot of Kanda from the JR train platform.</td></tr>
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My friend and I went to get some coffee at Starbucks and then bid farewell as I lugged my haul of kokeshis to the JR station and back home to the suburbs. It was good day in Kanda that's for sure. </div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-14855821650453718882015-08-15T15:40:00.002+09:002015-08-15T15:40:53.783+09:00November 2014 Tokyo Kokeshi Friends Meeting 東京こけし友の会 例会11月<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">C</span>ontinuing my recap of our final kokeshi adventures in Japan from the end of 2014, on 23 November I headed by myself to the Kanda section in the heart of downtown Tokyo for the monthly Tokyo Kokeshi Friends 東京こけし友の会 meeting. Note: On this blog I have been translating 友の会 (tomo no kai) as "friends association", which is literal, but better might simply be "club." But then "Tokyo Kokeshi Club" doesn't really capture the serious side of the organization. On the other hand it might be best to simply romanize the Japanese "Tokyo Kokeshi Tomo no Kai" and skip translating the name altogether. I've never asked anyone if the Tokyo Kokeshi Tomo no Kai has an official English name, so I'll have to enquire about that. <br />
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Getting back to the kokeshi adventure, while this is fairly old news I have lots of good pictures and want to show this event since it was the final time I attended a Kokeshi Tomo no Kai meeting before moving to California. Furthermore, seeing these images is another chance for kokeshi enthusiasts outside of Japan to see what's going on among the serious collectors in the Tokyo area. Of course the Tomo no Kai is strictly interested in traditional kokeshis from northeastern Japan -- no modern or creative kokeshis here!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the West Exit Shopping Street.</td></tr>
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I'm sure that for anyone born and bred in Tokyo a trip to Kanda for the Kokeshi Tomo no Kai meeting is fairly routine, or perhaps even a drag. But I have to admit that every time I head into the heart of that amazing city it truly is an adventure since there is always something interesting to see. Naturally once kokeshis are added then it becomes a fun kokeshi adventure. So I took the train downtown and walked through Kanda's West Exit Shopping Street 西口商店街 which is for pedestrians only, and as I strolled along I bought a delicious <i>dora-yaki </i>as a snack to go with my coffee. Dora-yaki is basically two small pancakes with sweet bean paste in the middle. Delicious! I love stuff like this in Japan. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71BBK8UUB8tDKltoEnuGoQf8UZgYWLfGokJcUzPhhTxJ_o20odeLoY-Yn2isQL7pJ4l0fH37w8ihOU1ETmXC2Fd9PYpOrtKTcmAHzQhhesluitI-NyKlXkjSaW3KP2d5LEBpRvdSAhvA/s1600/IMG_0462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71BBK8UUB8tDKltoEnuGoQf8UZgYWLfGokJcUzPhhTxJ_o20odeLoY-Yn2isQL7pJ4l0fH37w8ihOU1ETmXC2Fd9PYpOrtKTcmAHzQhhesluitI-NyKlXkjSaW3KP2d5LEBpRvdSAhvA/s320/IMG_0462.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>dora-yaki</i> shop on the way to the meeting.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
When I arrived at the meeting place people were already milling around examining the kokeshis on sale and display. I couldn't believe this was my last Kokeshi Tomo no Kai meeting and I would be bidding farewell to the friends and acquaintances that Naoko and I had gotten to know over the previous years. On the other hand it was a last chance to pick up some good used and new kokeshis, so what might I come home with? Well, to begin with everyone attending received one of three small kokeshis made by Mr. Sato Hideyuki 佐藤英之さん, a Yajiro kokeshi 弥次郎けいこけし maker from southern Fukushima Prefecture. Naoko and I really like his and his family's work, so this was nice present. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIg_TreuvqExhhAt0ujmWB7QRziBE-xg_6QMAjIxQGBCspPuiEMTTE2i42rg3FrcoaBCPDt557cA2UdwPNdZjXFb1eZvQRJeAezzQAAo32Z_Q88Bz5GbwISd1WpxvDLPcmCD6KYwZs5HA/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIg_TreuvqExhhAt0ujmWB7QRziBE-xg_6QMAjIxQGBCspPuiEMTTE2i42rg3FrcoaBCPDt557cA2UdwPNdZjXFb1eZvQRJeAezzQAAo32Z_Q88Bz5GbwISd1WpxvDLPcmCD6KYwZs5HA/s320/IMG_0495.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three different Sato Hideyuki kokeshis for the November meeting. Everyone in attendance received one of them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBLNkjbG26ilJHjmysDE4lTBwwVI_RvN52XAwGpZsJunzHlc3zKRrBUxTbtEJtILqJ04JgZaOcinfP8xf7zeD4q-jv1NSjUWMCKB3Td4UpBiEbhe2Yj_DdjKIZ2n5QpkpSc8x9CPrWwo/s1600/IMG_0487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBLNkjbG26ilJHjmysDE4lTBwwVI_RvN52XAwGpZsJunzHlc3zKRrBUxTbtEJtILqJ04JgZaOcinfP8xf7zeD4q-jv1NSjUWMCKB3Td4UpBiEbhe2Yj_DdjKIZ2n5QpkpSc8x9CPrWwo/s320/IMG_0487.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's my kokeshi, my number for the buying portion of the meeting, plus some postcards and pamphlets that were being given away.</td></tr>
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As usual there were different categories of kokeshis for people to buy. First were the rare kokeshis that went by bidding. There were times when those kokeshis would go for a tens of thousands of yen, or a couple hundred dollars. The next grouping consisted of about hundred used kokeshis from all eleven families as can be seen in the photos below. This was always my favorite part of the meeting (and everyone else's I think) since it was a chance to find unique and sometimes hard-to-find pieces at a very fair price (and sometimes half price for those that didn't sell in the first round). I was in the last group to be called to the front, so most of what I had had my eye on had already been grabbed, but as I recall I still found a couple of beautiful Kijiyama kokeshis. The final grouping was new kokeshis. I believe this was popular for those who weren't able to make it up to visit kokeshi makers as much as they would like. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDnjB784oaLl0zd_MMarngwklT6ThuxBpSa7OWFDhw3F8Yk_l_ny9Uc0pvY42VzTEMGCrK1RLBE8Qlizo-nIxhBEzmfiGC_gtWBhoWlALSyi7tsbt8USe1q_hzADc_wgsZPBAAzFkav8/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDnjB784oaLl0zd_MMarngwklT6ThuxBpSa7OWFDhw3F8Yk_l_ny9Uc0pvY42VzTEMGCrK1RLBE8Qlizo-nIxhBEzmfiGC_gtWBhoWlALSyi7tsbt8USe1q_hzADc_wgsZPBAAzFkav8/s320/IMG_0465.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examining kokeshis.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NDqvULZIIDVHcqX1qz9G-yBecISrMoAQNiVxuwP7drzTHTMeyXt0ddvkMIsO4jLIa198830crytYsD2ngD3_4PmeCXqSc9SaKWlN28JksksdIBuqxDb8Qf7j-Cpn77jXpLqu3LJ8fMM/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NDqvULZIIDVHcqX1qz9G-yBecISrMoAQNiVxuwP7drzTHTMeyXt0ddvkMIsO4jLIa198830crytYsD2ngD3_4PmeCXqSc9SaKWlN28JksksdIBuqxDb8Qf7j-Cpn77jXpLqu3LJ8fMM/s320/IMG_0466.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Special and rare kokeshis up for bid.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcOsFZ4F1rg83cRWBLcBRVERD_VS4M8jf-VtJoIliHsAEsnXMqOIcHSO4kyelGIxu5ogBIH0oa23O3URC7MWNCOgSRYSGhyNKKbu5iyBr3LgkyIWV1sDUMRd8wWx073XgMC0FEd4S0P8/s1600/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcOsFZ4F1rg83cRWBLcBRVERD_VS4M8jf-VtJoIliHsAEsnXMqOIcHSO4kyelGIxu5ogBIH0oa23O3URC7MWNCOgSRYSGhyNKKbu5iyBr3LgkyIWV1sDUMRd8wWx073XgMC0FEd4S0P8/s320/IMG_0468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the used kokeshis.</td></tr>
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The following are photos of the new kokeshis, and I especially liked the Kijiyamas. However they were snatched up pretty quickly and by the time my number was called they were already gone. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVuJ1U8-k1JjJFlWLvhxiJZDeCssWqNI5i8dXqZMGaRAExQ5O4TIAiY8Kr49eTBCq85Owyi0UoxcGW5yQPf5oh-jB5H-tXTsYYZRcR7BFaWXVdd2347nikZSEh9zUol7RsVPQh9wGVi4/s1600/IMG_0470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVuJ1U8-k1JjJFlWLvhxiJZDeCssWqNI5i8dXqZMGaRAExQ5O4TIAiY8Kr49eTBCq85Owyi0UoxcGW5yQPf5oh-jB5H-tXTsYYZRcR7BFaWXVdd2347nikZSEh9zUol7RsVPQh9wGVi4/s320/IMG_0470.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was especially attracted to these Kijiyamas in the middle, but they sold out well before my number was called. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCOkdHLX4B11FOYQTEfrMTJkjq4ErcZdW_V_LgVc2Upl6qBkj_mybSC-S2p8h9MjI3YXmts76RfLk98smiHda30ks5Fl5SRvcbpHVPRo-FGRPLfKKVIfsBHCnCYd4ytsFPIKiUkGOdP0/s1600/IMG_0471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCOkdHLX4B11FOYQTEfrMTJkjq4ErcZdW_V_LgVc2Upl6qBkj_mybSC-S2p8h9MjI3YXmts76RfLk98smiHda30ks5Fl5SRvcbpHVPRo-FGRPLfKKVIfsBHCnCYd4ytsFPIKiUkGOdP0/s320/IMG_0471.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vAIoeUOBCfwkgF9vg3KvsB8cUrm-NvfQ_792e4lRctEhPXeGURLS1z5wbCmfTmxpO5h3f5045UNXW0UJaZfOtESvo2tm7Gl3D8nqT9wWp9-yu0Kj7lKmyn1L1BRyJxvQrRwU0Ya2N88/s1600/IMG_0473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vAIoeUOBCfwkgF9vg3KvsB8cUrm-NvfQ_792e4lRctEhPXeGURLS1z5wbCmfTmxpO5h3f5045UNXW0UJaZfOtESvo2tm7Gl3D8nqT9wWp9-yu0Kj7lKmyn1L1BRyJxvQrRwU0Ya2N88/s320/IMG_0473.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a special kokeshi set that came in a wooden box. I don't recall if it was for sale or just on display. That would have made a very nice present for someone.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SRProIR-iU8JP9ytZ2Q8gnlnKO1do2pddtw67CNmIBwltUpjm5CDipHPJLNyZgrDMtSb58Bs8HboTdjW1aTB5QvwHFKgkxHbIg1avTrrj5zagy8mdex25CMi_nHaPcIFXIs2ZQ-sFMw/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SRProIR-iU8JP9ytZ2Q8gnlnKO1do2pddtw67CNmIBwltUpjm5CDipHPJLNyZgrDMtSb58Bs8HboTdjW1aTB5QvwHFKgkxHbIg1avTrrj5zagy8mdex25CMi_nHaPcIFXIs2ZQ-sFMw/s320/IMG_0474.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A row of Kijiyamas by Mr. Ogura Eiji 小椋英二さん the only traditional kokeshi maker in Tokyo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFca31Xr1UHKYOamCof2gPO8YNmn4Ft4FSfgPzbOP9tK8AwZ7bo6aQSxsCh0YzZhFGpmbiDKtiD7JxcNlLvAax5IKkAUmaGRRcmHRzbFke9OdicX2lxszaweUd5yUUMPaSzMNdp2BIzOw/s1600/IMG_0477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFca31Xr1UHKYOamCof2gPO8YNmn4Ft4FSfgPzbOP9tK8AwZ7bo6aQSxsCh0YzZhFGpmbiDKtiD7JxcNlLvAax5IKkAUmaGRRcmHRzbFke9OdicX2lxszaweUd5yUUMPaSzMNdp2BIzOw/s320/IMG_0477.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of new wooden toys and tops made by kokeshi craftsmen. Some collectors are very interested these as well, and they sold quite quickly.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Before the buying and bidding there were some introductions, announcements about the kokeshi world, and then a slide presentation by a young guy who discussed Pez dispensers, Legos, and kokeshis. I'm not sure what his main thesis was, but it looked interesting. Finally the time arrived for the kokeshi purchasing to begin and it was crazy and exhilarating as usual, and I'm pretty sure everyone got exactly what they wanted! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHe9zOAbU654UoWUeSsrGDFKzH8YzLHKMXjkTLzK-DEstb2Mlk8ZI_9aH3NA-8fOG2EPQy3zITLRo30KzGc1To_fBRQY9C6WAZr1EaiFgnaySn2ZZXR27u39rs4BO773ISf3ygSMZHBQ/s1600/IMG_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHe9zOAbU654UoWUeSsrGDFKzH8YzLHKMXjkTLzK-DEstb2Mlk8ZI_9aH3NA-8fOG2EPQy3zITLRo30KzGc1To_fBRQY9C6WAZr1EaiFgnaySn2ZZXR27u39rs4BO773ISf3ygSMZHBQ/s320/IMG_0485.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8akjAxqWpFM6qzaNQ2XS7LYJGMJ9Q4v8VNRNy01JMWAZ-ADneP63Sgpd2GfJnR8TY6zb0FxaYgntKno8AqdNKEXozOjwqe3C8puRmzvu9w7gE6-43istenrGv1qSweq70bMBgB6mw2RY/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8akjAxqWpFM6qzaNQ2XS7LYJGMJ9Q4v8VNRNy01JMWAZ-ADneP63Sgpd2GfJnR8TY6zb0FxaYgntKno8AqdNKEXozOjwqe3C8puRmzvu9w7gE6-43istenrGv1qSweq70bMBgB6mw2RY/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discussing Pez dispensers which have a slight resemblance to kokeshis.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ach8VQ4KuijbgT-PJO8Cy9zIJor_HFjQKKIdIi_a1VE1kxoYH8XBd9U50HC4i00fPCdx_XyQk69JdS8Q0Q5TrLXHBb-ALaUCMF5bRc2vVa6M81E6sfC0XICjZ-gNFpRx713K7m3QYtk/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ach8VQ4KuijbgT-PJO8Cy9zIJor_HFjQKKIdIi_a1VE1kxoYH8XBd9U50HC4i00fPCdx_XyQk69JdS8Q0Q5TrLXHBb-ALaUCMF5bRc2vVa6M81E6sfC0XICjZ-gNFpRx713K7m3QYtk/s320/IMG_0472.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">I think this display was part of the slide show on Pez dispensers.</td></tr>
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Following the kokeshi buying spree Mr. Hashimoto gave a slide show about some recent kokeshi events and craftsmen, which was really good. While it's true that everyone in the Kokeshi Tomo no Kai loves adding new kokeshis to their collections, these slide shows always add to our knowledge and show that collecting kokeshis is much more than the simple act of buying wooden dolls. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC79__wVFx02WRlk2RECZuOYZUs1wUMWgtbzLJIUPnndF3NqRDfVQzoDP26WFw9PG0L8LCeD2ZL7xzlj_P1rRzlNL5y4ldr6n0f6_-tNlnvNXnLK98qM3rGJ4XQAYo273dKp2riCjV9W0/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC79__wVFx02WRlk2RECZuOYZUs1wUMWgtbzLJIUPnndF3NqRDfVQzoDP26WFw9PG0L8LCeD2ZL7xzlj_P1rRzlNL5y4ldr6n0f6_-tNlnvNXnLK98qM3rGJ4XQAYo273dKp2riCjV9W0/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hashimoto's slide show.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZtjZ_K1P66NMsI6jLHI5QMo-dbs5O7lLg5ZJrAiMbo_dlDdrz6CB3UZwlsORnVar2MTt_cD90Nne9HcTO3tW91o_AcsMww3HQEITnLD3tBpm7UjcSAfrRuY5ElMCEKU7yx2rLDvXHSc/s1600/IMG_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZtjZ_K1P66NMsI6jLHI5QMo-dbs5O7lLg5ZJrAiMbo_dlDdrz6CB3UZwlsORnVar2MTt_cD90Nne9HcTO3tW91o_AcsMww3HQEITnLD3tBpm7UjcSAfrRuY5ElMCEKU7yx2rLDvXHSc/s320/IMG_0508.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another slide.</td></tr>
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Of course as the lone American Tomo no Kai member (well, Naoko was the member and I just tagged along) in the room I naturally stuck out, and everyone was aware that this was my last meeting. Because of that I was asked to say a few words to the group which I happily obliged, and everyone was very gracious. The members of the Tokyo Kokeshi Tomo no Kai are truly a pleasant group of people. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2c4SeTeQOGvIu0PlJPk0jG5j7AWTNcJZBjPusDBJXHHrCJLIy2b9Io4GR6dX2n5RIRXrk5Ev4OicE7ruNICUw11XrDLl7HBFZL6DpruErBlhQJ4zfne-e1Up-GnP9BlieQAQovefM50/s1600/IMG_0502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2c4SeTeQOGvIu0PlJPk0jG5j7AWTNcJZBjPusDBJXHHrCJLIy2b9Io4GR6dX2n5RIRXrk5Ev4OicE7ruNICUw11XrDLl7HBFZL6DpruErBlhQJ4zfne-e1Up-GnP9BlieQAQovefM50/s320/IMG_0502.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></div>
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I think these are the kokeshis I was able to purchase, but it's now just a blur and I honestly can't remember. Maybe these were the ones my friend Hiro bought.</div>
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And so ended the last Tomo no Kai meeting that either Naoko or I will be attending for quite some time. Such sweet sorrow, but good memories as usual.</div>
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If the Tomo no Kai sounds interesting to you then by all means join, especially if you live in Japan! <a href="http://www.tokyo-kokeshi.jp/" target="_blank">Click here to go to the web site</a>. This is an open organization and Japanese and non-Japanese alike are heartily welcomed. Yes, everything is done in Japanese and even though I speak Japanese fairly well half of the time I had no idea what was being discussed. But it never mattered because in the end we all love kokeshis which is a language all its own. </div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-37330387517819559112015-08-10T07:14:00.002+09:002015-08-10T07:14:17.081+09:00Togatta Kokeshi Village 遠刈田こけしの里<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ay back in April 2012 -- almost 3.5 years ago -- we went to an important kokeshi location in the Togatta Onsen 遠刈田温泉 region of Miyagi Prefecture that I never posted a blog about. It was part of an early but significant kokeshi adventure in Sendai when we were searching for Togatta kokeshis 遠刈田系こけし, and in retrospect I'm sorry that I didn't do the post. Better late than never I suppose. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod47zHEYwuNwmrb30l6Z_y1iK73j8PQY3pG_yAFB7TuglMaexyqAJL6eILpMJw34p9tECicCTK8GVauz77Z9g2_WG52rL8p0sSKtnko3f8JttQCxoUCqcDt-H4CW49XO-2-6ibapm_JI/s1600/IMG_0381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod47zHEYwuNwmrb30l6Z_y1iK73j8PQY3pG_yAFB7TuglMaexyqAJL6eILpMJw34p9tECicCTK8GVauz77Z9g2_WG52rL8p0sSKtnko3f8JttQCxoUCqcDt-H4CW49XO-2-6ibapm_JI/s320/IMG_0381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The sign says "Kokeshi Road" こけしの道 which connects the Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan with the Kokeshi Village.</td></tr>
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Up the hill behind the fantastic Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi Kan 宮城蔵王こけし館 that everyone needs to visit (<a href="http://kokeshi-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/04/miyagi-zao-kokeshi-kan.html" target="_blank">click here to see the 29 April 2012 post</a>) is something called the Kokeshi Village こけしの里. You can either drive there, or better, walk through the woods on the "Kokeshi Road" こけしの道 up the hill from the Kokeshi Kan. Wow! Like entering a kind of kokeshi land, right? Well, maybe. I've always tried to remain as positive as possible in this blog, but the Kokeshi Village was weird and, frankly, disappointing. Let me try to explain.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oABPOlYHWmRvTAmE3tyqC6DGq2jOmkRTG1g0ZTC8P1WDCKBPAwyxio6JebDtaMB_btKOaR38VNAcZl9lXN7x-t21R43kDLPACN06YrEZpkPtwuex-61gyFmIp8mh-8ArQbKlXNwqbfQ/s1600/IMG_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oABPOlYHWmRvTAmE3tyqC6DGq2jOmkRTG1g0ZTC8P1WDCKBPAwyxio6JebDtaMB_btKOaR38VNAcZl9lXN7x-t21R43kDLPACN06YrEZpkPtwuex-61gyFmIp8mh-8ArQbKlXNwqbfQ/s320/IMG_0380.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the kokeshi maker's house and workshop that was no longer active. </td></tr>
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From what I can tell Miyagi Prefecture developed this area a while ago as a kind of kokeshi artisans' colony, and since there is parking for buses it must have been done as an economic development project too. In theory the Kokeshi Village was good idea since it preserves a traditional art (which is important to Miyagi Prefecture's identity) and at the same time makes it easy for tourists to visit many craftsmen all at once. The year 2012 was definitely not its heyday, but we can hope it has come back to life since our visit three years ago. After all, the village has shop after shop that should be a fantastic experience for us enthusiasts. Here are some photos of the various craftsmen's signs that line the street.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDt1_omtYDM4nU1vQPBF1Lbw6Z6dFl9D8WDK54iWjGdqR4oTqD6eiSjxSFuPSSaqvCS1nVemfTZD34fMIbTUgh4R5RJlyNKb7zYumaCIDqkapLq4uGFlCEOJt-V0OhN3kdAc-W1fJKhs/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDt1_omtYDM4nU1vQPBF1Lbw6Z6dFl9D8WDK54iWjGdqR4oTqD6eiSjxSFuPSSaqvCS1nVemfTZD34fMIbTUgh4R5RJlyNKb7zYumaCIDqkapLq4uGFlCEOJt-V0OhN3kdAc-W1fJKhs/s320/IMG_0382.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyc_N3baslJA927J3n9FxpSJY9GNu6ZvKR2gMkN6TSwYM07reZOf6YdgfN-XF6i98OYtaUQ8dwtRa2Nbh8p3Lc8UpVLl-SQedv1bE-fEMvQJO_9H8R8xG_7WYQwetktdpytvkGfjTVsBk/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyc_N3baslJA927J3n9FxpSJY9GNu6ZvKR2gMkN6TSwYM07reZOf6YdgfN-XF6i98OYtaUQ8dwtRa2Nbh8p3Lc8UpVLl-SQedv1bE-fEMvQJO_9H8R8xG_7WYQwetktdpytvkGfjTVsBk/s320/IMG_0383.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkazc2PJGxE5tBp1j5u2oWbOqOq0aVQJ_6VwxI3TdxyzmQEcKmcPrbsJSw84SvolUSdFiaV6o1JgwxUEj2pKgzO_9-7WjmudadPIFgzM-Oi35uCQIXlNVhp-ztayHi9TmBtH6CNrO5kM/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkazc2PJGxE5tBp1j5u2oWbOqOq0aVQJ_6VwxI3TdxyzmQEcKmcPrbsJSw84SvolUSdFiaV6o1JgwxUEj2pKgzO_9-7WjmudadPIFgzM-Oi35uCQIXlNVhp-ztayHi9TmBtH6CNrO5kM/s320/IMG_0384.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-LOuRXUYfcVjjlWNVDb31WPsfq7DMGrxSlaizJksjlhRfk61jRtD0nLirX4snKMkjqJKRYIegwGjKtywHKXqoWzX2h1SlEXyKteVSYNNzxuYx8PBrwI1wEOGbDwVwRpG0wPgT60kkWk/s1600/IMG_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-LOuRXUYfcVjjlWNVDb31WPsfq7DMGrxSlaizJksjlhRfk61jRtD0nLirX4snKMkjqJKRYIegwGjKtywHKXqoWzX2h1SlEXyKteVSYNNzxuYx8PBrwI1wEOGbDwVwRpG0wPgT60kkWk/s320/IMG_0385.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's what happened. On the first day that we went to the Kokeshi Village, of the ten or so kokeshi workshops in the area only one was fully open (see below) and the rest looked strangely abandoned and dark. I saw one old man out puttering around on the main street and asked if his shop was open, to which he replied that he was no longer making kokeshis. That ended that and we decided we would come back to the Kokeshi Village later. On the second day we returned and found four shops that were open, one of which was filled with wooden toys and modern kokeshis 近代こけし from Gunma Prefecture rather than local traditional kokeshis. That was a shocking disappointment. We walked into another shop in which the lights were out, and then the wife of the proprietor came out and seemed very surprised, annoyed even, to have customers. She turned on the lights of the sales area and we found that the artisan had created a kind of hybrid kokeshi-sculpture style with Buddhist themes (I think) painted on them. They really didn't suit our tastes so we left empty handed. The third shop we found "open" was Mr. Sato Katsuhiro's 佐藤勝洋さん workshop. The door was unlocked but nobody was inside so Naoko actually had to go and knock on the door of his house (which was separate from his workshop and sales area), and again we encountered surprise that there was someone there to actually look at kokeshis. We were apparently the first customers who had been there for a long, long time, to the point that most of the kokeshis were either knocked over from an earthquake, or had spider webs on them. This is not an exaggeration. Nevertheless Mr. Sato was extremely warm and welcoming, and because we were his first customers in such a long time he gave us a very generous discount and I've thought that was an interesting way of doing business. I highly recommend a visit to see Mr. Sato if and when you go to the Kokeshi Village.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlUoZXzShVoSzCKVlOSLLD7pK7dMPnRVwyT2w_zvc0W4usQzif2vbp8MKvl-LRXSfcFQhpBrBeSqdBkjC_al27ymzu8_zp2NJjpr4FImtkIGd9Bcb7lYjsXZ3TDxjTgoZZfOS-seO1Zs/s1600/IMG_0402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlUoZXzShVoSzCKVlOSLLD7pK7dMPnRVwyT2w_zvc0W4usQzif2vbp8MKvl-LRXSfcFQhpBrBeSqdBkjC_al27ymzu8_zp2NJjpr4FImtkIGd9Bcb7lYjsXZ3TDxjTgoZZfOS-seO1Zs/s320/IMG_0402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sato's workshop was open for business.</td></tr>
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In the middle of this sad situation was one ray of hope: It was the workshop of two Togatta kokeshi masters, the husband and wife team of Mr. Sato Kazuo 佐藤一夫さん and Mrs. Sato Ryoko 佐藤良子さん. It was open when we went and Mrs. Sato was there to greet us. As you'll see in the photos below their work (which I am unable to differentiate between Mr. and Mrs. Sato's) is exquisite. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZOp4l1yMIWuzOHRUN-fjOX_luhGWQwgbVcLB-blIQPh4jTFkgOzEjS1G6ceh4AGugvWfxcXU8aK6Fww7Wq894ppSf1EA_PwD76H7jldTNxrknEtOiThoJqWQJoHkQ5vwYv0d80rLed8/s1600/DSC02963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZOp4l1yMIWuzOHRUN-fjOX_luhGWQwgbVcLB-blIQPh4jTFkgOzEjS1G6ceh4AGugvWfxcXU8aK6Fww7Wq894ppSf1EA_PwD76H7jldTNxrknEtOiThoJqWQJoHkQ5vwYv0d80rLed8/s320/DSC02963.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Sato's pieces pieces were also understandably expensive so we were only able to add one of their kokeshis to our collection during this adventure. Maybe we'll get more next time. In hindsight seeing this shop, along with meeting Mr. Sato Katsuhiro mentioned earlier, was definitely worth the trip. So after all these years why post a blog entry about the Togatta Kokeshi Village? True, it was a disappointment but I felt obliged to be honest about the experience and to also alert foreign kokeshi enthusiasts about its existence. On top of that it was still a genuine kokeshi adventure during which we met two craftsmen who produce beautiful work that has added nicely to our collection. Should you go? I think so, and I'll bet that thanks to the current kokeshi boom the Kokeshi Village has become much more lively than 2012. </div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-7579032802244557272015-08-09T03:43:00.000+09:002015-08-09T03:43:00.226+09:00East Coast Kokeshi 5 東アメリカのこけし5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">A</span>mong my mom's kokeshis are a couple of beautiful Naruko kokeshis by Mr. Sato Minoru 佐藤實さん. Today I'll examine two of them. We took my parents on a kokeshi adventure to Mr. Sato's workshop located in the mountains above Naruko Onsen 鳴子温泉, but I don't seem to have ever written a blog entry about that trip. I'll have to look through my photo collection to see when we were there because I cannot remember when we were there. I do recall that there was still snow on the ground, but that's about it. Maybe spring of 2014? Anyway, Mr. Sato is quite an interesting character as he lives and works in a small cabin out in the woods and is known for having a dog that sits in the window of his workshop. And in fact we got to meet the dog as well as Mr. Sato. As you can see, there's a lot of background connected with these kokeshis.<br />
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The first piece is a Naruko but with an unique body shape and what looks like a hat, so this must be one of his personal designs, or <i>hon'ningata</i> 本人型. The face is small relative to the head, which I believe is something Mr. Sato's kokeshis are known for. We'll see the same technique below. <br />
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The face is peaceful with the eyes located far above the nose. The mouth gives just a hint of mirth, but otherwise contains little in the way of expression. Mr. Sato has also painted the side hair fairly close to the face giving it a narrow appearance.<br />
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I'm especially intrigued with the signature on the bottom which is just the kanji for his first name Minoru 實. If I did not know exactly who had made this kokeshi it would have been challenging to trace it through just the signature.</div>
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Next we have a another Naruko by Mr. Sato, though it is noticeably tall and thin making it different than the typical Naruko. Front and back views show his beautiful craftsmanship. </div>
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The face is fairly similar to the one above, though has even less expression. Again, the small face is unique I believe among Naruko kokeshis as is the tall, thin body.<br />
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A closeup of the face reveals the red pattern surrounding the hair, which is very handsome.<br />
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The flower design is also unique and well rendered.<br />
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A top down view gives the face a completely different appearance -- an interesting effect. The hair and head pattern are quite intriguing.<br />
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Here's the signature, which also only has Mr. Sato's first name Minoru. The right side says "Kensanrogata," or the Kensanro-style or type which I know nothing about and will have to do some research on.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4027309141288862282.post-14623421176438468642015-08-08T00:41:00.001+09:002015-08-08T00:41:03.049+09:00Pocket Kokeshi Park Event in Tsugaru 津軽こけし館のポケこけしイベント<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">F</span>or kokeshi enthusiasts in Japan, and especially those already in Tohoku, you may want to make a trip to the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan 津軽こけし館 in Kuroishi City 黒石市 in Aomori Prefecture from now through August 23rd for the 5th annual Pocket Kokeshi Park ポケットこけしパーク event. I know we would try to go if we were still in Japan. Here's the poster.<br />
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It's hard to read on the bottom of the poster, but those are the names of participating craftsmen from all the traditional kokeshi families. Based on a quick calculation there are about 130 makers sending their kokeshis for display and sale, so this is a really significant event. What makes Pocket Kokeshi Park unique is that every kokeshi has to be 12 centimeters or less, so it's perfect for collectors who prefer the small to tiny kokeshis that are quite popular right now.<br />
If you would like to see some photos of the kokeshis and what's going on at the Tsuguru Kokeshi Kan <a href="http://kokeshi01.exblog.jp/" target="_blank">check out the blog here</a>. Japanese only, but you'll get the idea even if you don't read Japanese.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02990318342854955148noreply@blogger.com0