Yamagata-Sakunami-Kei

Japanese Traditional Kokeshi | Yamagata-Sakunami-Kei (Family)

Prefecture: Miyagi

Origin:

Unique to this strain of the original ten traditional types is the fact that the Yamagata Kokeshi originated at Sakunami Onsen in Miyagi Prefecture, and produced by the Kobayashi family. The Kobayashi family later moved to the city of Yamagata in the prefecture of the same name. However, the Hiraga family stayed in Sakunami and continued producing the same style doll, which is why these Kokeshi are made in two different locations. Because there are two very different body shapes in this group, many people consider them separately, but due to the confusion over who actually created the first of this type, we will discuss them as one family.

Collector's note – characteristics/painting style:

Both shapes are made of one piece of wood, and plum and crab-flower chrysanthemum, (Kiku), blossoms dominate the body design. The flowers are usually painted in a very bold, stylized design in colours of red and dark green, and painted or grooved bands will ring the top and the bottom of the dolls. The dolls have disproportionately larger heads, but while the Yamagata doll has a very slender body, the later Sakunami dolls have wide upper bodies, and very narrow bases. Both look quite top-heavy, leading some people to assume that originally they were much smaller, and designed to be hand-held toys, rather than freestanding dolls.

Indeed, these dolls are one of the older Kokeshi forms, as they date to the early Meiji period, (1868-1912). Another unique feature of the Sakunami dolls is the fact they are only made from Mizuki, a very pale, fine-grained variety of dogwood, which grows in the Yamagata area.

Notable artists:

Hiraga Tadashi, b. 1937
Hiraga Kenjiro, Master
Kobayashi Koutaro, b. 1936
Kobayashi Eizo, Master
Kobayashi Seitaro, Grand Master