Tsugaru-kei Kokeshi is one of the eleven traditional lineages of kokeshi dolls found across the six Tohoku prefectures, produced mainly around Nuruyu Onsen in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, with production also spreading to Owani Town. It is said to have begun in the early Taisho era, when kijishi (wood-turning craftsman) Mori Hidetaro started making kokeshi for hot-spring visitors at Nuruyu Onsen, laying the foundation for the lineage together with Hasegawa Tatsuo of Owani Town. Because it took shape later than other lineages, it developed a freer style unbound by the traditional apprentice system, and is characterized by distinctive design elements not found in other production areas: the 'tsukuritsuke' technique of carving the head and body from a single piece of wood, a body shape that flares broadly at the hem, and motifs influenced by the peony crest of the Tsugaru domain, Ainu patterns, and Nebuta festival paintings. The Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum opened in Kuroishi City in 1988, and its skills and charm continue to be passed on today through production demonstrations and painting workshops led by Tsugaru-kei kokeshi craftsmen.
Origin
Tsugaru-kei Kokeshi is said to have originated in the early Taisho era (around 1914), when kijishi Mori Hidetaro, at Nuruyu Onsen in Kuroishi City, began making kokeshi as souvenirs for hot-spring visitors. Mori Hidetaro is known for making kokeshi freely, unbound by the conventional apprentice system, and this style is said to have provided the major foundation for a Tsugaru kokeshi tradition with a strong individuality of its own within Tohoku.
History
Alongside Mori Hidetaro, Hasegawa Tatsuo of Owani Town is also known as a craftsman who helped lay the foundations of Tsugaru-kei Kokeshi, and the skill has been passed down mainly around Nuruyu Onsen and Owani Onsen. Because it took shape later than other lineages, it developed greater freedom in form, painting, and technique, nurturing a wide range of expression. The Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum opened in Kuroishi City in April 1988, and has since served as a hub for spreading the appeal of Tsugaru-kei Kokeshi through exhibitions, demonstrations by craftsmen, and painting experiences.
Features
The dolls are made using the 'tsukuritsuke' technique, in which the head and body are carved from a single piece of wood, and are characterized by a distinctive Nuruyu-style shape: an okappa (bobbed) hairstyle atop a body that flares broadly at the hem. Motifs include the peony flower, the crest of the Tsugaru domain, as well as bold designs sometimes influenced by Ainu patterns and Nebuta festival paintings. The simple coloring and crafted beauty nurtured by the deep-snow climate of Tsugaru are highly regarded throughout Japan.
Artisans & Workshops
こけし工房tsuNagaru
A Tsugaru-kei Kokeshi workshop and shop located inside the Tsugaru Denshou Kogeikan (Tsugaru Traditional Crafts Hall) in Kuroishi City. It holds production demonstrations by Tsugaru-kei kokeshi craftsmen and painting-experience workshops, sharing the appeal of traditional kokeshi.
Official site →Hands-on Experiences
津軽こけし館
青森県黒石市大字袋字富山72番地1号
Opened in April 1988. Visitors can watch production demonstrations by Tsugaru-kei kokeshi craftsmen and try painting a kokeshi doll (walk-ins welcome; advance reservation recommended).
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