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BREEZE #79

MAY, 2014: BREEZE ISSUE #79
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF JAPANESEEVENT REPORT: KOKESHI - THE TOHOKU ARTISANSPIRIT BY MANAMI OKAZAKI
Event Report
By Alex Forbess
Several dolls were lined up formidably in front of thelecture room as spectators entered to be amazed of theirsimple features. From their shy faces to their colorful
stripes and unique designs, everyone wondered how
these armless dolls, the Kokeshi, couldbe portrayed as apowerful symbol of the Tohoku region. Featured journalist
and author Manami Okazaki, who wore a dark, denim
kimono with pink stitching and black converse shoes, notonly explained how the Kokeshi nurtured victims of 3.11
but also how they were the pioneers of Japan’s wellknown Kawaii culture. During her recent trip to Tohoku in
2012, Okazaki was originally researching Japan’s obsession of all that is cute. Her further interest in
Kokeshi came after interviewing a source who said, “If you want to know Kawaii , look at the Kokeshi .”Kokeshi , a name made up with no intentional meaning, was first recorded sometime between 1880 and1850 being sprung near the onsens (hot springs) of Tohoku, yet some evidence claims they may havestarted even years before. From a first impression, the production process looks simple: one master andone apprentice; but Okazaki explained how each step, such as having the wood spin and create friction to
mold the body, are essential and the learning steps are equally rigorous. She said that compared tomaking a kimono, where each section is neatly divided by the designers and tailors with items presented,
everything starts from square one to make a Kokeshi . “First, everything is made from scratch. Even thetools,” Okazaki explains, “They (the master and the apprentice) do everything themselves. To perfect thisart, the apprentice would live in the artisan’s house a follow a strict system. From molding the perfectwood to gently painting stripes with a brush, Okazaki said it usually takes the apprentice about ten years
to perfect this art; however, even doing this for 50 years, seasoned-artisans admit they are still learning toimprove. “Artisans believed in two things while making the Kokeshi ,” Okazaki said, “There’s the technicalaspect, knowing how to perfect it, and the psychological aspect. It’s having the right attitude to makesomething. They believe if you don’t have the soul while you make it, you’re a fake.”
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At first, the Kokeshi were meant to be children’s toys but then adults started to grow fond of their design.
Each of the eleven Kokeshi at the lecture room had its
own personality. From the common Naruko , which gives afaint “squeak” whenever a handler turns its head, to theHijiori’s large, rectangular head and slender body, more
people have felt compelled to have one. While they haveunique features, there is one similarity: the face. It is its
shy, simple face that attracted people. Okazaki said it was
not something that appealed to people first but withintime, they cherished them. “What you don’t fall in lovewith instantly is what they liked the most,” Okazaki said.
Its popularity, Okazaki further explains, really expandedaround 1965 where tourists flourished to the Tohoku onsens . Eventually there were phonebooks filled with
Kokeshi artisans for people to order a specific design. With the influence of the housing bubble, somecustomers even demanded to purchase Kokeshi that were “as big as their house.” And within one to threemonths, the Kokeshi would arrive without warning.
While their popularity increased, Okazaki told everyone the artisans’ are finding it hard to find more young
people to become apprentices and continue with this traditional doll; however, more modern Kokeshi arebeing developed to attract younger audiences one way or another, such as Hello Kitty Kokeshi . Okazaki
said that some artisans believe young people do not have the patience to learn the process. Regardless,the Kokeshi has attracted people abroad and adore these creations made from a remote, thriving sectionof Japan. Kokeshi : a name that means nothing, yet somehow, everyone started to put their own meaning
into them, making them charitable and heartwarming for everyone to share.

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Breeze #79: Event Report - Kokeshi

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