Tsuchiyu kokeshi(2)

I told the background of Tsuchiyu kokeshi in previous post(cf.""Tsuchiyu kokeshi(1)").Now I'll talk about its features.Before that,a superfluity,"All is relative" - these features are always just ones "in comparison with others".And the more important is "so many men,so many mind" - each artisan has his(her) own idiom.So,please remember that "type" is just one perspective in appreciation for kokeshi.

Now,These are some typical Tsuchiyu kokshi.

The typical features of body in Tsuchiyu kokeshi are

• small head
• slim waist
• body line with a slightly wide hem

Kokeshi with Fish Eyes 

Focus on their head parts.See below picture.


Both have coiled patterns like fish eyes on the top of head.This is called "jyano-me",snake eyes in Japanese.

(but actually,I don't realize these patterns are snake eyes because I always ran for my life without meeting their eyes whenever I encountered them).

And you can see red ribbon-like side on foreheads. This is called "kase" in Japanese.These are most characteristic of Tsuchiyu kokeshi.Other features are

• eye with pupil and lower eyelid
• round nose
• stripe patterns around body -with "rokuro"(cf."spinning kokeshi")

Friendly Kokeshi

It was Tsuchiyu kokeshi that I felt familiar with at first when I was just a beginner. I suppose Tsuchiyu kokeshi are comparatively acceptable to kokeshi beginners because of their balanced shape.Say,look at this kokeshi doll!She might have been concerned about her own head.Or,look at the boy kokeshi.When I saw his flat head and his primitive look at first,I would feel sick as if I saw myself what I used to be! Of-course,now I love them.

Anyway,you think two of the above picture are alike.That's right because they are sisters -by the same artisan.I think the right girl is elder because she is taller and seems rather cheeky - watch her smile on her lips! I was so afraid of her strict watch,so I didn't write anything in their face(cf."Type of traditional kokeshi") this time.