Vintage Japanese ‘Takobozu’ Nakanosawa Kokeshi by Saito, Tokuju
Dimensions: 12-0”h
This is traditional Nakanosawa Kokeshi of the Tsuchiyu-kei family by Saito Takuju, (1926-). His masters were Iawamoto Yoshizou and Aba Ichio. This style of Kokeshi was originally created by Iwamoto Zenkichi of the Nakanosawa Onsen. After his death, his son Yoshizou, along with other prominent craftsmen like Fukuchi, kept the Nakanosawa doll’s tradition alive.
The specific type of Kokeshi is referred to as "Tako bozu" (たこ坊主, bald boys), an octopus face with a facial expression showing humor that is representative of Iwamoto Kenichi, a street dancer, (Sutorītodansā) in the 1920s who used a cushion that had a face with large eyes painted on it. His audience was soon so taken with his dance with the pillow that they asked for a doll to be made with these special features.
This Kokeshi has a characteristically sizeable over-sized head with a small tuft of a wavy hair strand on the back which was typical of practitioners of the Zen Buddhist faith, and unique large expressive Bikkuri-me eyes, (surprised eyes) and faint reddish-to-pink blush around its eyes and an open mouth with a red tongue and the expressive Shishi-bata Lion’s nose with flared nostrils. The doll incorporates Janome black and green rings painted on the top of its head with abstract peony petals on the side with bangs. Rokoru moyo red and green bands are incorporated below the neck and lower body on the tall thin and tapering body. The painted body details large open red and black peony flowers inspired by the tattoos that the Geisha sported and exhibits all the characteristics that were painted originally on the dancer's pillow. The doll is signed by the artist on the bottom of the doll along with its title.
Condition: Excellent vintage condition and as originally made. The represented colors show no fading or discoloration with “refined and crisp” drawing/coloration on a fine wood base. Beautiful polished patina developed from age. These beguiling dolls have a special attraction to collectors because of their history and uniqueness.
See additional writings on our website related to this subject: Under our Browse and Learn section, please refer to https://mingeiarts.com/collections/nakanosowa-family for full details on the history and development of this style doll.
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Japanese Traditional Kokeshi | Nakanosowa-Kei (Family)
Prefecture: Fukushima
Origin:
The Nakanosawa doll is a member of the Tsuchiyu family and one of the “youngest” of the twelve styles of Kokeshi. and recognized as a separate style in the mid-1920s, and so different from the rest of the Tsuchiyu family that it warrants its description and category. This distinctively painted traditional doll was created in Nakanosawa Onsen, in the town of Inawashiro, Fukushima Prefecture, by Iwamoto Zenkichi, one of the original founding members of the Tsuchiyu family. The facial expression shows humor that is representative of Iwamoto Kenichi, a street dancer (Sutorītodansā), in the 1920s, who performed a fast tempo foot dance called a "kappore fore”, Zenkichi-san then created a Kokeshi doll copied after a pillow that he used in this dance. The painted pillow had facial features as well as bold flower patterns. Additionally, Kenichi-san gave dancing lessons to local geisha girls, and his audience was soon so taken with his dance with the pillow that they asked for a doll to be made with these special features with the characteristically large popping eyes, and when the doll was originally made of papier maché.
Later, lathe-turned representations of dolls emerged as an expressive wooden and painted form. With Kenichi’s son, Yoshizou, and a group of craftsmen, the making of the Nakanosawa doll was alive and its popularity grew. While considered a sub-strain of the Tsuchiyu Kokeshi, these beguiling dolls have a special attraction to collectors because of their history. This specific type of Kokeshi is often described as male rather than female by Kokeshi enthusiasts, even though it was not specifically designed to be male. The doll later became known as "Tako bozu” (たこ坊主, bald boys), i.e., an octopus face with a shaven head, reminiscent of the hairstyle worn by monks.
Collector's note – characteristics / painting style:
The Nakanosowa doll was made like the rest of the traditional Kokeshi, with a large oval or rounded blocky head with reddish to pink blush on each cheek, on a thin, tapering body. The most characteristic element is the large, expressive, surprised-looking eyes (bikkuri-me). The dolls also have very different noses, with expressive Shishi-bata Lion’s nose and flared nostrils. Its mouth is fully open and accented in red. These dolls have bangs or side tufts and occasionally one long tuft of hair that has the purpose of being a perch for gods. This is based on what was known as the “Yorisiro” phenomenon, and it is a very important Shinto concept of “purity”, which was typical of practitioners of the Zen Buddhist faith. The body decoration of this strain typically consists of large open peonies inspired by the tattoos that the Geisha sported, or double cherry blossoms, incorporated with zig-zag (kaeshi rokuro) lines in multiple colors. The rarest form of this doll is an Ejiko-style called Izume.ko, Doll (“Isume baby”).
Leading, Craftsmen:
Iwamoto, Zenkuchi, 1926, Grand Master
Iwamoto Yoshizo, 1926, Grand Master
Arakawa Youichihi, 1938
Fumio, Kakizaki, 1947, (Inawashiro, Fukushima) - Master: Iwamoto, Yoshizo
Honda, Noburo - No additional published information
Sato, Tokuju, 1926, (Aizu-waka-matsu) - Master: Iwamoto, Yoshizo
Sabe Harou, 1929 -No additional published information
Seya, Kouji, 1952, (Nakanosawa) - Master: Iwamoto, Yoshio
Seya, Juji, 1924, (Inawashiro, Fukushima) - Master: Iwamoto, Yoshizo
Takahashi, Yoshi, 1927, (Hino, Tokyo) - Master: Takahashi, Chuzo