Kokeshi Festival in Koenji 高円寺のこけし祭り

At the beginning of last November Naoko, the girls and I hopped on the train and headed to downtown Tokyo for the Koenji Fes 2014 高円寺フェス2014. Naturally this was a kokeshi adventure, and we were looking for the "My First Kokeshi" event that was somewhere in the maze that is the Koenji section of Tokyo.

Koenji's shopping street. It was very lively and packed with people the day we went there.

Kokenji Fes 2014 program.

Information about the "My First Kokeshi" event in the program.

There was no single building where the Koenji Fes was taking place, so we really had to hunt for the kokeshi event. We ended up walking through the shopping street, into a residential neighborhood, and then finally found a sign for the it in front of a neighborhood community center. This was it! The "My First Kokeshi" event was on the second floor, so we headed up the stairs and entered in to the main room and it was like Ikebukuro Station at rush hour. It was clearly a big hit though it was difficult to really look at the kokeshis and get to know them properly because of all the people. Oh well.

The main room. It doesn't look too packed in this picture, but believe me it felt like it was wall-to-wall people. 

If I had to analyze what I saw available the emphasis was definitely on cute new kokeshis, which are very popular among young female collectors who have discovered kokeshis in the last couple of years. Overall there was lots to see and buy, and an added bonus is that it was only 90 minutes from home in downtown Tokyo rather than six hours away by car in far-off Tohoku. Well, you can see for yourself what the "My First Kokeshi" event looked like in the photos below, plus what we added to our collection. Enjoy!

A table full of cute kokeshis which dominated the event.

Lots of Tsugaru kokeshis 津軽系こけし by Mr. Abo Kanemitsu 阿防金光さん.

Tsuchiyu kokeshis 土湯系こけし.

Tiny Zao kokeshis 蔵王系こけし by Mr. Mito Hiroshi 水戸寛さん.

Another view of the main room and the crowds of kokeshi fans.

The Nihon Kokeshi Kan's 日本こけし館 table.

Kokeshis and hand cloths 手縫い with kokeshi patterns from Naruko Onsen.

The 500 yen box!

Lots of Tsugaru kokeshis. 

Cute kokeshi items.

Another display.

Antique kokeshis for sale.

More antiques.

It wouldn't be a true kokeshi event if the visitors didn't have the chance to make their own kokeshi, and sure enough there was a "work shop" sponsored by the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan. We poked our heads into the room and it was also packed with guests.

The entry into the kokeshi-making workshop.

Make a fat or thin kokeshi for 1,200 yen!

In the end we came home with four new kokeshis for our collection.

Naoko got this fantastic little Owani 大鰐 (Tsugaru) kokeshi by Mr. Hasegawa Masashi 長谷川優志さん. It's only about two inches high.

We also purchased this beautiful work of art by Mr. Matsutane Shinkichi 松谷伸吉さん. Interestingly, Mr. Matsutane is a Naruko craftsman who lives in Shimane Prefecture 島根県, well away from the kokeshi homeland of Tohoku. His ability with the brush is truly exquisite.

We managed to find a used Akiyu 秋保 (Togatta) kokeshi. Although they are technically Togatta kokeshis 遠刈田系こけし Akiyus are quite unique and easy to identify. On the other hand the number of craftsmen who make them seems to be dwindling.

Another used Akiyu that we added to our collection. 

The "hair" on the back is the shape of the kanji 乙 (otsu). It's a unique mark found only on Akiyu kokeshis. 

New Kokeshi Jidai 新しいこけし時代

Last October the most recent issue of Kokeshi Jidai こけし時代 magazine came out, and I must say that Mr. Numata Genki 沼田元氣さん who produces it really put his heart and soul into this one. It cost about 2,800 yen, which is steep, but it was quite substantial and when I took off the cellophane wrapper we realized that issue number 11 was actually two volumes. There have been other double volumes before, but nothing of this scope.

The two covers of Kokeshi Jidai number 11, a double issue.

The main volume is dedicated to Tsugaru style kokeshi 津軽系こけし craftsmen, most of whom reside in Aomori Prefecture 青森県 at the northeastern-most end of the island of Honshu. That is one of my favorite parts of Japan, plus I love Tsugaru kokeshis and since we have gotten to know a few of the craftsmen there this volume was a real treat. Mr. Numata covered Aomori in the very first Kokeshi Jidai back in 2011, but this recent issue is 328 pages and covers the towns, onsen 温泉 (hot baths) and craftsmen much more extensively. In fact it's as much a travelogue about adventures in Aomori as it is about kokeshis. And in my opinion this is the right approach to covering kokeshis, especially in a magazine. One thing I've learned over the years is that traditional kokeshis are very much tied to the land they come from and the people who make them. As such, showing this connection allows for a deeper appreciation of the kokeshis and the culture of northeastern Japan. Mr. Numata understands this implicitly and is able to convey through photography what it actually feels like to be in a hot spring/kokeshi town way up in rural Aomori. Anyway, here are a few images from the first of the two volumes of the magazine.

The second volume of issue number 11 is devoted entirely to the life and work of Mr. Kon Akira, a Tsugaru craftsman who is one of the most popular of the traditional kokeshi makers. It is also the case  that his work is extremely difficult to come by. Naoko and I are big fans of Mr. Kon's work, and if his pieces were readily available we'd probably have fifty of them in the house. However, during our 4.5 years of serious collecting we've only been able to acquire a couple of his pieces including two unpainted ones that Mr. Kon gave to Naoko when we met him at the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan 津軽こけし館 back in summer 2011. Therefore this extra volume of Kokeshi Jidai is especially welcome! 

The back cover of the Kon volume.

Finally, the latest Kokeshi Jidai also included a set of five postcards with more art by someone named Terry Johnson who did the cover for issue 11 volume 1. I'm not sure what to make of these, but what the heck!

As for when the next issue of this fantastic magazine will be coming out, who knows? But I will certainly write about it on this blog when it does.

An advertisement for the Kon Box.

Meanwhile, I just discovered that apparently in conjunction with the special Kon Akira issue the Kokeshi Jidai folks also produced a limited edition "Kon Box" ("Kon Akira Kokeshi Box Set") for nearly 20,000 yen. And yes, it was truly limited -- just 150 Kon Boxes were available and it looks they are already all sold out. Inside what looks like a giant matchbox were ten items including a couple of kokeshis by Mr. Kon along with a some interesting paper and cloth items. For Mr. Kon's many fans this box must have been a dream come true. Click here if you'd like to see some of what was inside the Kon Box.

A book exclusively devoted to Mr. Kon's kokeshis. Expensive, true, but worth every penny.

While I'm on the topic of Mr. Kon, I must mention the above book entitled 木おぼこ・今晃 -- 今晃こけし図譜 (A Pictorial Book of Kon Akira's Kokeshis), a 354-page volume dedicated entirely to his work. I've seen the book and met the author, but I've never really flipped through it nor did I purchase it since it was 10,000 yen. In hindsight I wish I had bought it since Mr. Kon's kokeshis are so fantastic, and also because we'll never be able to add too many of his pieces to our collection. Sigh. This is one of those books for the true connoisseur that's beautifully bound and lovingly produced, and designed to be passed down from generation to generation.  If you'd like to get a better feel for the book, as well as see a number of Mr. Kon's kokeshis (including photos of a huge collection of nothing but his pieces), then click here for a really nice web page.
I know that books and magazines such as what I've discussed in this post are difficult to get outside of Japan, but if you are able to get a hold of them you won't be disappointed.

Kokeshis in San Francisco's Japan Town サンフランシスコ日本町のこけし

I mentioned in my last blog entry that moving to northern California was probably going to limit our kokeshi adventures. While I'm sure that will generally be true, I was amazed to find that it is still possible to have a kokeshi adventure at Japan Town 日本町 in the heart of San Francisco!

Japan Town is a lot of fun, and though it's not the same as being in Japan there are many authentic Japanese restaurants and shops selling Japanese products. Overall the atmosphere is definitely Japanese, and as we wandered around we found a couple shops selling Modern Kokeshis 近代こけし by Usaburo Kokeshi 卯三郎こけし from Ikaho 伊香保 in Gunma Prefecture 群馬県. Modern kokeshis are available everywhere in Japan, including Narita Airport, so I really wasn't all that surprised to see them here. Nevertheless Usaburo kokeshis are beautiful and make great gifts, and Japan Town would be an ideal destination pick some up.

Past some restaurants in Japan Town.

Usaburo kokeshis for sale in Japan Town.

As we continued on we stumbled upon a shop called Kohshi Master of Scents which specializes in incense, candles, essential oils and gifts. As I glanced at the store window something wooden and cylindrical with colorful red patterns caught my eye. Could it be? No, that would be impossible in San Francisco. But yes! It was a traditional kokeshi, and not just one but dozens of just about every kokeshi family out there, from Iwates to Narukos, Yamagatas and Togattas, and even a Tsugaru, plus some older modern kokeshis.

What are those wooden, brightly painted cylinders in the Kohshi window?

Naoko spotting the kokeshis in the Kohshi window.

Examining the kokeshis.

What an absolutely pleasant surprise for a couple of forlorn kokeshi enthusiasts who no longer reside in Japan. In a way it was like running into old friends. I took some pictures of the kokeshis in the window of course, and then went in to see what Kohshi had for sale.

Kohshi specializes in incense, candles, and other such aromatic items, but also happens to have a very nice selection of traditional kokeshis.

There was a great variety of used kokeshis in the shop and the owner, Mr. Sugimoto, told me that his family had originally sent some out from Japan on a whim along with a shipment of normal items. After he put them out they sold well and now they're a normal part of the store. I was happy to learn that there are other kokeshi enthusiasts in the Bay Area who make regular trips to Japan Town when Kohshi gets new ones in. Very interesting. We're going to have to find out who these people are and perhaps start a Bay Area Kokeshi Friends Association. Anyway Mr. Sugimoto said it would be fine to show his shop and the kokeshis he has for sale, so here are some views of the kokeshis from inside.

We were on a pretty tight schedule and had to leave Kohshi fairly quickly without making any purchases, but we'll definitely be back soon. After that we stopped at the Kinokuniya bookstore, a branch of one of Japan's large chains. It's extremely nice and well worth one's time for both Japanese and English-language books, and -- happy day -- as I looked around I found three publications directly related to traditional kokeshis as you'll see in the photos below.

I'm amazed that the pink Japanese-language Kokeshi こけし book is available in the US. It's great, and in my opinion it was a huge part of getting the current "Third Kokeshi Boom" going so everyone needs to add this to their library. As for the English-language book on the left with a Sakunami kokeshi 作並こけし by Mr. Hiraga Teruyuki 平賀輝幸さん (whose workshop we have visited numerous times), I can't say if it's any good. I'll have to buy a copy and do a review.

The July 2015 edition of Fujin Gaho 婦人画報 featuring some of Mr. Sato Yasuhiro's 佐藤康弘さん blue Togatta kokeshis. Nice!

It was pretty exciting finding traditional kokeshis and books and magazines about them in Japan Town, but I also noticed that within the artwork of a poster (below) for an upcoming J-Pop festival in San Francisco there is what appears to be a Naruko kokeshi in it. Can you see it sitting on top the tansu behind the girl's head?

In fact it is a Naruko kokeshi except that it has the face of a real person. Ha! I believe the poster artist is Japanese, but since this is for an event in America I will count this as American usage of a traditional kokeshi for design purposes.

And so ends another kokeshi adventure, but this time in San Francisco. If you love kokeshis but can't make it to Japan then you will definitely want to visit Japan Town.

San Francisco Kokeshi サンフランシスコのこけし

Well, it's been about seven months since my last post. As some of you know Naoko, the girls and I have moved permanently to the Bay Area in beautiful northern California. Because of this transition I had to put Kokeshi Adventures on hold, but now it's back. I will no longer be able to provide first-hand reports on kokeshi events, and we certainly won't be visiting any craftsmen until returning to Japan on vacation sometime in the future, but I think I have enough materials and information to keep the blog going for awhile despite being in America. I will say that we miss our all of the friends we've made in the kokeshi world, and taking a short trip to Tohoku right now would be delightful. On the other hand although there is a complete lack of kokeshis here, northern California is a wonderful part of the world that everyone should visit. On top of that we now have a chance to directly teach Americans about the amazing world of our favorite wooden dolls.

Naoko, kokeshi and San Francisco.

Along those lines I thought it would be fun to bring a kokeshi along on our visit to San Francisco yesterday. While there are undoubtedly traditional kokeshis in private collections here, I'm pretty sure this is the first time anyone has photographed one with San Francisco scenes in the background.

Fisherman's Wharf -- a famous tourist spot and now popular with kokeshis. 

The kokeshi that joined us is a black and white Naruko type 鳴子系こけし by Mr. Onuma Hideaki 大沼秀顯さん whom we've met a few times at festivals and other kokeshi events. I love his work, and there were no problems as this kokeshi fit in perfectly in good old San Francisco!

Naruko kokeshi in front of In-N-Out, a famous California burger chain. 

Down on the bay with a ship museum in the background.

Kokeshi and a cable car.

At the old Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory.

We had a great day in San Francisco, and I'm pleased that I thought to bring along Mr. Onuma's kokeshi. So, where will we see a kokeshi pop up next?

Kokeshi-making Video こけしを作るビデオ

A friend back in the US posted a link to a beautiful video by Tetotetote 手とてとテ via the Colossal web site showing Naruko craftsman Mr. Okazaki Yasuo 岡崎靖男さん creating one of his kokeshis. Click here for the video. It's 4:13 long and well worth your time, and Naoko and I agree that it really captures the spirit of kokeshi craftsmanship. The Colossal article states that kokeshis are a 400-year old tradition, but I'm pretty sure that's way off. As I recall reading kokeshis are relatively modern, with research suggesting that the earliest ones likely appeared in the late Edo period and early Meiji (1860s-70s). I'll try to find an exact source for that.
Anyway, we've been to Mr. Okazaki's shop which is right on Naruko's main street and is easy to find, and you should go there too! Naoko bought one of his small kokeshis during a trip there a couple years ago, and it is very nice.

One of our Okazaki kokeshis. It's about 2.5 inches high.

By the way, the Tetotetote web site also has a good English-language article on Miyagi kokeshis, so to read that click here. For those of you who can handle Japanese, there's more on kokeshis at the Tetotetote site here.