One account says that the kokeshi was a remembrance of a departed parent or child. Another version traces its origins to the days of the itinerant woodturners. Craftsmen too poor to provide real dolls for their children turned the dolls from wood. Regardless of the historical roots, the item has a long tradition as a gift item and as a collectable. On a visit to the local kokeshi museum where literally thousands of the dolls are on display as well as a rich collection of wooden toys one cannot help but be impressed with the variety and subtlety of design in these apparently simple objects.
Painting is another avenue for expression by the turner.
The historical examples found in this museum clearly illustrated to me that these items went far beyond simple repetition. I found distinctive styles, playful approaches, wonderful patterns, and effective application of color and decoration. A traditional production item, kokeshi dolls, despite their simplicity, evidence lively variety in shape as well as colorful decoration. To begin with, the number of young people willing to enter the craft is rapidly declining. Historically, the tradition was passed down within the family, but this is rarely occurring these days.