Kokeshi dolls are traditional Japanese wooden dolls with a simple body and round head. They were invented in the 18th and 19th centuries for various reasons, including as a cheaper alternative to porcelain dolls. Today, they are considered Japanese folk art and come in many varieties and sizes. Creative Kokeshi dolls are non-traditional and one-of-a-kind pieces. They are often given as gifts to new mothers or on children’s birthdays, and are also collected by adults. The design of Mii characters for the Nintendo Wii system was inspired by Kokeshi dolls.
Kokeshi dolls are traditional Japanese wooden dolls made from woods such as cherrywood, Japanese maple, and dogwood. They have a very simple body with no arms or legs and a round head. The making of these dolls is considered Japanese folk art and even today there are design schools that teach people how to make different shapes of Kokeshi dolls. There are also cheaper imitations of the dolls, which can be bought in tourist spots in Japan or in Japanese tourist areas of cities around the world. Handcrafted Kokeshi doll, on the other hand, may be a little more expensive, since much of the work is done by hand, and the dolls have many fine details and display expert craftsmanship.
Historians date the invention of Kokeshi dolls to the mid-18th and early 19th centuries. There are several possible explanations for why they were invented. Some say the dolls were believed to contain the spirits of ancestors and were created in memory of deceased relatives. Others believe they were a practical way to give less expensive dolls to children, especially for poorer children whose parents could not afford porcelain dolls. Being made of wood, some shapes were made as teethers or soothers, with particularly large heads and short, stocky bodies, and could be given to much younger children because they would last longer and be safer than a more delicate porcelain doll .
Early versions of Kokeshi dolls were not heavily decorated. Today you will find versions made in many varieties and sizes, with extensive painting that can decorate kimonos and with many different expressions on the faces. Early doll bodies were cylindrical, but body shapes now vary; some have curved areas, are much plumper, or have oval shapes. In the traditional method there are several schools making many different types of dolls and collectors can identify each school by the characteristics and shape of the doll.
Individual craftsmen also make what are called creative Kokeshi dolls, in which the head and body can have very different shapes. These are essentially modern interpretations of the doll and are considered non-traditional. However they are an expansion of the art form. A creative Kokeshi doll is usually a one of a kind piece and may be more expensive and hold more value because it is unusual. Such pieces are usually signed, so collecting them is like collecting any other work of art.
A modern tradition associated with Kokeshi dolls is to give newborn dolls to new mothers. The dolls are most often female, so this tradition is more common when a girl is born. Such dolls are also gifts on children’s birthdays, although many adults collect them. An interesting take on the Kokeshi doll are the designs for Mii characters, individual avatars you can create for the Nintendo Wii® system:. The artist who designed the Miis conceptualized something very similar to a Kokeshi doll and says they were part of his inspiration, even though the Miis have arms and legs.
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