1302　Japanese ｗooden doll　/　人形　木彫人形・こけし

Wooden dolls include "kokeshi" dolls from the Tohoku region, made by carving wood; "kimekomi dolls" from Tokyo and Kyoto, where clothing is fitted into grooves carved into the wood; "wooden bears," famous as souvenirs from Hokkaido; and "ittobori" dolls from Nara and Hida. Various wooden dolls are made throughout Japan, and you can see wooden dolls that reflect the unique characteristics of each region.

"Kokeshi"
A wooden doll with a cylindrical body and a spherical head. It is said that production began in the Tohoku region around the end of the Edo period. Currently, there are "traditional kokeshi" dolls that adhere to the old tradition and "creative kokeshi" dolls made with free-thinking ideas.

"Wooden Bears"
"Wooden bears" are famous as a folk craft of Hokkaido. Their roots are in Bern, Switzerland. During the Meiji era, the entire city of Bern was engaged in peasant art, and after learning that bear carvings were being made, "wooden bears" began to be produced in Hokkaido, using them as a model.

"Ittobori" (One-Knife Carving)
Ittobori refers to dolls made using a technique that makes it appear as if the wood was carved with a single knife. The main production areas are Nara Prefecture and the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, but its origins are in Nara Prefecture. It is said to have begun in the Heian period when ittobori was applied to dolls used in Shinto rituals for the Dengaku dance at the Onmatsuri festival of Kasuga Taisha Shrine.