KONNO AKIHIRO｜TSUCHIYU DENTO KOKESHI (Wooden Dolls)

Brand

From the birthplace of the three major kokeshi dolls, carrying a smile

Akihiro konno

• 1982
• TSUCHIYU DENTO KOKESHI (Wooden Dolls)
• Akihiro konno

History

Conveying the Tradition of Tsuchiyu Kokeshi Dolls to the Present

I, Akihiro konno, have inherited the tradition of Tsuchiyu kokeshi dolls since the Edo period and put my heart and soul into each and every one of my works.

In 1982, after graduating from college, I began my apprenticeship at the home of Sashima Sato at the suggestion of my father's cousin, kokeshi craftsman Yoshio Watanabe.

However, Sashima had hardly ground any kokeshi at that time, so he studied under Sashima's son-in-law, Kyuya Sato.

While working at the Chamber of Commerce, he continued his apprenticeship on weekends, and in 1983, he exhibited his kokeshi at the Fukushima Product Exhibition.

The following year, he joined the Tsuchiyu Kokeshi Artisans Association.

In 1997, 15 years after beginning his apprenticeship, he was accepted into the official Tsuchiyu Kokeshi Artisans Association and officially became a Tsuchiyu kokeshi craftsman.

Characteristic

Painting faces carefully and wholeheartedly

Tsuchiyu kokeshi dolls in Fukushima Prefecture are considered to be the birthplace of the three major kokeshi dolls, along with Togatta and Naruko in Miyagi Prefecture.

The head is small and the body is slender.

They are characterized by their unique expression, as if they are gently watching over you, and their simple colors.

The head is inserted into the body using the heat generated by the rotation of the potter's wheel, so it makes a lovely squeaking sound when the head is turned.

On the top of the head is a black ring called "snake's eye," and there are red hair ornaments called "kake" on both sides of the front hair.

The body is decorated with horizontal stripes of red, yellow, and green using the rotation of the rokuro.

The long, slit eyes, called "whale eyes," are double-lidded and expressive.

Although he inherited the techniques of Sato Sashima in his later years, especially in the drawing of the eyes, he gradually began to establish his own style.

At night, when I feel calm, I draw kokeshi doll faces.

I can only make eight kokeshis a night, but I find it rewarding and enjoyable.

For Customers

Interior design that warmly protects your life

I have been making kokeshi dolls for over 40 years, carrying on a tradition that dates back to the Edo period.

Through my research of traditional kokeshi dolls in Tsuchiyu, I try to restore the works of my predecessors, while creating new styles of kokeshi dolls such as the "Kaguyahime kokeshi" (Princess Kaguya kokeshi).

The appeal of these kokeshi dolls is that they are designed to fit in with modern lifestyles while preserving the techniques of the good old masters.

If you pick up one of our kokeshi dolls, you will feel the unique nostalgia and warmth of kokeshi dolls.

The kokeshi dolls that I put my heart and soul into one by one are like my lovely daughters.

I would be happy if you would place them in your living room or other relaxing space and cherish them.

Award

Won a prize at All Japan Kokeshi Doll Contest (Shiroishi City)

Won a prize at Michinoku Kokeshi Festival (Yamagata City)

Producer

Bringing the value of "Japan's hidden talent" to more people

■J Flavor

Bringing smiles to the local community, to the world, and to society.

We, J Flavor, are a craft production group that creates new value by combining the various talents that Japan possesses in terms of tradition, technology, and sensitivity.

We want people all over the world to know the talent that Japan.

Through the value of Japanese products, we aim to create a society where everyone has a smile.