Sosaku creative Kokeshi dolls best by Kenichi Murakami

Sosaku creative Kokeshi dolls by Kenichi Murakami b 1929

The poem of Snow

Kenichi Murakami was active making dolls between 1950 - 1970

60mm & 50mm



Kokeshi dolls were first made in the Edo period 1600 -1800) It is believed that they were made by Artisans to sell to best the travellers visiting the hot springs.

Traditional type dolls.

Tsuchiyu: Tsuchiyu Onsen (Fukushima), Iizaka Onsen (Fukushima), Dake Onsen (Nihonmatsu)
Yajirō: Yajirō (Shiroishi)
Tōgatta: Tōgatta Onsen (Zaō)
Naruko: Naruko Onsen (Ōsaki)
Sakunami or Yamagata-Sakunami: Sendai (incl. Sakunami Onsen), Yamagata, Yonezawa, Sagae, Tendō
Zaō Takayu: Zaō Onsen (Yamagata)
Hijiori: Hijiori Onsen (Ōkura)
Kijiyama: Kijiyama (Yuzawa)
Nambu: Morioka, Hanamaki Onsen (Hanamaki)
Tsugaru or Nuruyu: Nuruyu Onsen (Kuroishi), Ōwani Onsen (Ōwani)

Creative dolls don't follow and rules and Transitional (Shingata) include a mixture of features from traditional strains.