Kokeshi-Do

[kokeshi description]

• artisan : Tatsuo Sato
• type : Traditional Yajiro
• tall : 24cm(10inch)
• max width : 7cm(3inch)

What is "DO"(道)?

There is a variety of something-"DO(道)" in Japan - "JU-DO":martial arts,"KA-DO":art of flower arrangement,"Sa-DO":art of tea ceremony,"BUSHI-DO":practical ethics of old warriors,and all the rest. I have even heard "EIGO-DO",that is,"English language-DO".


It is proper to translate "DO" as "way" in English because the word "way" has a variety of meanings as much as the word "DO",which includes the meanings originally such as 'route' or 'path',and in expanse,'method' or 'approach' or 'style' or 'manner' etc. And "the way of  life" - actually,the word "DO" has the nuance of  "dedication".


So, the above "EIGO-DO" is that "you have to completely devote yourself to mastering English!" -one book about it says the following: "Use only English,not Japanese in your daily life, read a copy of TIME more than 100 times, talk to all the foreign people whom you could meet across in the street, and you will master English!" - I often used to go and talk to them in Roppongi, Tokyo according to its precept, but I gave it up later because it cost too much - people who were willing to reply to me were all barkers of "unreasonable" show pub.


Silly talk aside, "DO" itself has discipline or rules - in Kado, Japanese flower arrangement, you have to master much detailed rules - choice of seasonable flower, order of several kinds of flowers, length and angle of branch or flower... these are quite compulsory, so some people leave its lesson, but others who remain say, "these rules have real meaning" - although I'm quite a stranger to Kado, I can understand what they say.


If we want to express sense of the season of tender green as liveliness or vitality, we could choose flowers with rich foliage and make arrangement to emphasize rather its foliage than flowers. But there is a variety of limitation - space limitation or plant trait or something. So, Kado masters have repeated trial and error to express their feelings effectively within limitation -the accumulations of their creative efforts are such detailed rules.


"Limitation" - if we want to purely enjoy flowers or trees, we can just go and see them or we can garden. But the basis of Kado is "to appreciate the sense of the season through plants in a room(usually, "washitsu", a kind of Japanese-style room)". So,many detailed rules -these are also all decoration techniques- underlie this basic standpoint.

Kokeshi-DO

Considering it, kokeshi,especially traditional kokeshi seem to have much limitation - the first is "wooden", the second is "(like) doll ", the third is "with no limbs", the forth is "by using lathe"... these are "intentionally-defined" limitation and even "unwritten" rules. I am really surprised that artisans have followed these rules - if I were an artisan, I would have complained about them -"give me liberty!" - and an old stubborn artisan would say to me, "Do what you should before that!"


Then, what's the basic standpoint in crafting kokeshi? After all, I think it is "the craft by wood turning" - however, there is another craft by wood turning -lacquer ware. So,accurately, it is "the craft by wood turning without lacquer". Historically, they have taken pride in their skills - I'll talk about it as a theme of "Kijishi",woodworkers some time.


I think crafting kokeshi is a kind of "DO(道)" in the sense that artisans devote themselves to it. And "DO" is not limited to matters of Japan - whatever people devote themselves to. It doesn't matter whether it has strict formality or not - rather, its extreme formality even leaves people cold in Japan - actually, Sado or Kado are not as popular as they used to be - they used to be much popular as "training for married life" in Japan!


I think one of the reasons is peremptory teaching - basically, "No buts.Do as you are told!" - how many times I heard the word when I practised Judo - But sorry to say, modern Japanese aren't as obedient as old Japanese. So, I think instructors or coaches had better use more explanation in their coaching or training  - for example, the reason or meaning of suitable stem length or highly-attractive flower angle or something - if they really want to hand down the value of their tradition. Incidentally, as for my Judo practice, I had obeyed my coach from child as an "old Japanese", but I was just slow to realized "not all men are created equal in talent for sport".

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What's Tohoku in Japan_3?

[kokeshi description]

• artisan : Tsunekichi Abe
• type : traditional Zao
• tall : 15cm(6inch)
• max width : 8cm(3inch)

Isabella Bird's View of Tohoku

Isabella Lucy Bird says in her author,"Unbeaten Tracks in Japan"(below *notes marked by me),

The plain of Yonezawa(*town in Tohoku),with the prosperous town of Yonezawa in the south,and the frequented watering-place of Akayu(*spa spot in Tohoku) in the north,is a perfect garden of Eden,"tilled with a pencil instead of a plough,"growing in rich profusion rice,cotton,maize,tobacco,hemp,indigo,beans,egg-plants,walnuts,melons,cucumbers,persimmons,apricots,pomegranates;a smiling and plenteous land,an Asiatic Arcadia,...(LETTER XVIII)

Of-course,she doesn't blindly praise them.She also write much about the situation of poor peasants or wretched places "every daimiyo'(*local lord) town that I have seen has an air of decay"(LETTER XIX).But,

Shinjo(*town in Tohoku) has a large trade in rice, silk,and hemp,and ought not to be as poor as it looks(LETTER XIX)

I can see rugged people of the day in Tohoku in it.And when I read this book,"the scales fell from my eyes" - "the scales" for me was my "pre-existing bias" - the bias of "poor and pitiable Tohoku".Surely "tilled with a pencil instead of a plough",but this was common landscape in other regions in Japan as well.She described some shops provided "villainous forgeries of European eatables and drinkables" in Tohoku,but it even gave me a surprise - they had some knowledge about European food or drink even in rustic Tohoku- although "they would be hurtful enough" - although I also agree to this.

I think her view is relatively objective because she didn't need to have the same "scales" just as we have.So I conclude - "Tohoku was poor,but it was as poor as the other regions".

Then,why they suffered from starving later? - there are many analysis by authorities,but roughly speaking,"the government didn't put a priority on 'welfare' in the broad sense of the term -  including improvement of regional gap or adjustment of industrial structure" - although it is another matter whether such policy was feasible or not at that time.

True Intent of My Boss

"Poor Tohoku" - the reason why I talked about it is not simply because of complaint about unfair treatment - most modern people in Tohoku even seem lack of concern -,but rather because of "defogger" - which enables us to see it clearly and even to offer new insight into it.In that sense,Isabella Bird'book expanded my knowledge about old Tohoku - such as the custom of 'Touji',hot spring cure or aspect of old Japanese inns - first of all,she visited many places where I haven't visited yet! 

Anyway,there was a sequel to my boss's joke.After our wedding ceremony,I asked him -he got much drunk - "was your joke a little risky,wasn't it?"

He replied,"Sure,but that was the result of consideration.I often hear some Aizu people still dislike Yamaguchi people.If I had kept my mouth shut about my hometown,and they had been told from the others about it,what would have happened?" I said,"I don't know".


he acted as if he fell himself to the ground."they might have bawled at me 'you,coward!'and cut me with katana,Japanese sword" - apart from his drunk clowning,he made consideration accordingly.And he added,"cause...Aizu was the region of 'Bushido' - yes,Aizu was famous for its strict Bushido,the precept of samurai,warrior.

I said,"hmm,I see.But if they had raged about your joke,what would you have done?"
He said to me with a grin "you already said,'I commit Seppuku!'.Maybe they would accept it because you-and-me is subordinate-boss relationship.And Bushido values 'loyalty to master'".

He already prepared his risk-hedge! - too regretfully,I should have said another precept of Bushido to him.

"But Bushido also says,'if your master is stupid and unreasonable,you should rectify him'". 

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What's Tohoku in Japan_2?

What's Boshin War?

The above image was quoted from Wikipedia,"Boshin War" and the area drawn with green broken line in it is Tohoku region.

Before taking about it,I'll briefly summarize the modern history of Japan.

1. 1603 to 1868 :Era of Edo - feudal regime by Tokugawa Shogunate
2. 1868 to 1945 :Era of "Imperial Japan" -until the defeat in WWⅡ
3. 1945 to Present:Era of modern Japan

Disaffected people -mainly people in south-west region in Japan,who knew the global dynamics of the day - overturned the Tokugawa feudal regime and established the new government of constitutional monarchy in 1868 - "Imperial Japan".

Boshin War occurred in 1868-1869,which was a string of wars to overturn Tokugawa and to hunt down its supporters.And Tohoku was much involved in it as "rebels".

Most clans in Tohoku were allied together right after the surrender of Tokugawa.The alley was originally intended not for "fight against the new government",but for "petition for them" - to ask them for mercy to Aizu clan and Shonai clan,both in Tohoku,positively involved on the side of Tokugawa.Both clans declared the intention to yield to the new government after the surrender of Tokugawa -but "it was too late".

The new government refused the petition.Instead,they even ordered the other clans in Tohoku to hunt down Aizu because they regarded Aizu as "the worst war criminal" - actually,Aizu had strongly fought against them until the surrender of Tokugawa.So Aizu was the most punishable enemy to them.

Finally,Aizu totally surrendered after strong and cruel wars and the other clans in Tohoku also surrendered.And It was Choshu clan that had the strong initiative in the new government.

(Actually,even still,this is one of "touchy subjects" in Japan - here are too many historic contexts and too many miserable stories that "may or may not be true".I intend to note only minimum level of facts).

So,my boss's joke was based on this historical incident -"I come from Yamaguchi prefecture,old name 'Choshu' and I know you come from Fukushima,old name 'Aizu'.We were mutual enemies about 100 years ago,But now here,we've just signed a peace cord!!".

The Image of  "Poor Tohoku"

This brought a negative image about Tohoku to many other Japanese -"uncivilized".They thought that Tohoku people were so barbaric that they went against the tide of the new government.Actually,there were many old records left in which their customs or manners or even their dialect were described as uncivilized - this is just a stereotype of "Losers are always in the wrong".

What is worse was that several natural disasters struck Tohoku in 1910s-1930s,and the people starved.These determined the image of "poor Tohoku" - "To show pity is felt as a sign of contempt because one has clearly ceased to be an object of fear as soon as one is pitied"(Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche," the wanderer and his shadow") - quite literally,most Japanese mindsets for Tohoku changed to "pity".

But "really always poor?" - there is an old book about Tohoku,written by an English writer who traveled in Tohoku in 1878,in the early in the era of Imperial Japan - "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" by Isabella Lucy Bird.

It taught me another aspect of Tohoku.I'll talk about it next time.

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What's "Tohoku" in Japan?

[kokeshi description]

• artisan : Kin-ichiro Sasaki
• type : traditional Nukuyu
• tall : 31cm(12inch)
• max width : 7cm(3inch)

The other day,one of my friends who know I love kokeshi - I'm not so naive as to tell anyone about my kokeshi-liking.Because it comes to light among my friends,they will surely wonder about,and quiz me - some of them might even take me away "in order to reform me".Anyway,she asked me,"kokeshi is really cute! but Tohoku was poor at that time?" I replied,"Yes,they 'were' poor,but I'm 'still' poor" - actually,I just had little time to talk to her.But then,I thought about her question,"Here we go again..'poor Tohoku'".Of-course,I know very well she meant no offence.

"Tohoku" - the word has originally a meaning of geographic direction "north-east" in Japanese,and it has another meaning of "north-east region in Japan".The word "region" includes not only geographic areas,but also areas with its own customs or historical background.And most Japanese think "Tohoku has harsh weather,and the people was always poor" just as she thought -  because we have learnt it at school.I also believed it - until I read other books about it. Apart from "whether poor or not" - I'll talk about it some time - I have a little funny experience.

My wife and I had a matchmaker "at a wedding ceremony" - it was not a "real matchmaker",but "ceremonial and temporary matchmaker". Originally,matchmakers are the ones who arrange introduction or give advice on marital life in Japan,but they are also often needed only for a kind of special guest in Japanese marriage ceremony style - this is a kind of custom in Japan,although it is not as popular as it used to be.We asked my boss for our ceremonial matchmaker in our marriage - this style of  "asking one's boss for ceremonial matchmaker in marriage" was also popular custom in Japanese domestic companies.He accepted it.

On the day of our marriage ceremony,we introduced him to my wife's parents and relatives.After a short formal greeting,my boss said to them.  

"I come from Yamaguchi prefecture,old name 'Choshu' and I know you come from Fukushima,old name 'Aizu'.We were mutual enemies about 100 years ago,But now here,we've just signed a peace cord!!"

All of those present dropped their jaws -"What is he talking about?" After a moment,I just got it! - his joke.But I was a little slow to realize it - one of my wife's relatives was already set for his reply .

"Sure,but it's something in the past.Now,Japan is a peaceful country,and I have also some friends in Yamaguchi,who are fellows in my company.So,please never mind it.We don't bear grudge any more...".

my uncle-in-low took it seriously!! I had to take an "urgent counter-measure".I said to him.

"I come from nearby Kyoto.So,I'm so afraid you force me to commit "Harakiri" as a member of  Choshu sides.But I'm so sorry I don't know the ritual of it because my ancestor wasn't Samurai". - I didn't know whether this was really effective for him.But fortunately,I'm alive now.

What's the origin of this story? - "Boshin War",a kind of civil war in Japan.And this was one of essential elements to understand "Tohoku".I'll talk about it next time.But still - I love his joke,but I have to say,he was also infamous for ill-timed joker in our office. 

 

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Pray for a Miracle with Kokeshi

"Here comes the World Cup!" - that may ring rather hollow in Japan except mass media.Frankly speaking,the Japanese team is really "underdog" - Japanese like humility but it doesn't always recommend that players give their shots away to each other -often even to opposing team's players - in front of  the goal.But it is not that this is anything new.One of my friends suggested a bet how many points Japan would lose by - I didn't join the bet because "a miracle might happen!" - I pray for a miracle with my kokeshi - doll has been used for amulet which might bring us good luck and protect us from evil or injury.

On the other hand,doll has also been used for tool for "curse" in Japan - there is a horrible doll in Japan,"straw doll",which is literally made of straw.I'm so sorry I can't list its picture because "Unfortunately", I don't have it.

Someone who was horribly betrayed and harmed by his(or her) foe - he makes this doll and drive a long nail into it in the deep of the night,desperately wishing the foe harm.It has an instant strong effect!!! - only in horror films.I remember I would beg my mother to go with me to the toilet at midnight after watching this straw doll cult on films in my childhood - fortunately,now I can go alone.

In addition,doll has been "substitute" for human.We can see this kind of dolls as substitutes or such roles in many ancient burial mounds.

Here is a strange custom even in modern Japan -"Rokuyo",the custom based on an old calender style in Japan.It is formed as one period for six days.Each day has each "meaning" - a certain day is good for all,or another day is bad for all....This custom still remains among Japanese more or less -even among business companies.As major examples,the dates of ceremonies - marriage ceremony or anniversary of the office founding etc. are very often determined based on the calender.

In the calender,there is a day "too bad for funeral ceremony" - according to its custom,to hold funeral on the day means "the departed will take his familiar persons away" -this is also horrible.So still now,most modern Japanese arrange it on another day - but "too busy modern people", if someone must need to hold it on the "too bad day" for inevitable reason,how should he deal with it?

One of the answers is "put doll in the departed coffin" as "substitutes for his familiar persons" -it must be hard to doll.

By the way,the above picture is called "Daruma",this is also a kind of charm or amulet.As you can see,he has no limbs like kokeshi.And the word "Daruma" is sometimes used as a unpleasant metaphor for "helpless" or "stuck" - because a Japanese expression "he can't move even his limbs" means "he can't do anything" in English and Daruma literally "can't move his limbs (needless to say,because of no limbs)".So,I'll really wish with my kokeshi - "Our Japanese team may win at least once! Never be like Daruma!!" -although koekshi also has no limbs.

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The Origin of Kokeshi_5

[kokeshi description]

• artisan : Kazue Abe
• tall : 38cm(15inch)
• max width : 10cm(4inch)

I have discussed "the origin of kokeshi" until now.They are summarized as below:

1. There are some notable features of kokeshi - "dolls with no limbs","doll in Tohoku,north-east region In Japan","doll by using lathe".
2. The direct ancestors of kokeshi are still unclear,they might even be non-existent.
3. It is unreasonable that the reason of kokeshi with no limbs is attributed to backwardness of Tohoku.
4. The beginning of production of kokeshi is at most in the early 19th.

Now let me talk about the origin of kokeshi considering the above.

Why with No Limbs?

At first,I think kokeshi was just a "new item" by wood turners - I don't think it is based on "esoteric mystery" or something - but I "do" think it was a new attempt in crafting dolls based on artisan's practical purpose and aesthetic.I'll talk about it later.

"Why with no limbs?" - Alan Booth interpreted it as fetish substitutes.
But - I really admire him for deeply thinking about Japanese kokeshi - I think he "overestimated the position of kokeshi" - because "kokeshi really didn't took root in Tohoku as its custom or convention".

The beginning of production of kokeshi was at most in the early 19th,and they got old-fashioned in the early 20th - for only 100 years or so.Although they were spotlighted as "folk art craft in Tohoku" once again by kokeshi manias in 1930s,that is "another thing".

If they had really taken root in Tohoku culture as fetish substitutes or mementos,relics of them would have been left in its traditional culture like custom or convention or folklore in one way or another.But I haven't heard or seen such cases.So,I think - "kokeshi didn't prevailed in Tohoku as much as we thought".

Then again,why kokeshi with no limbs? I simply think "artisan just didn't create kokeshi in their shapes".They were sure that anyone could easily recognize kokeshi as dolls even without their limbs.

Please remember just stick dolls - "commoners kids of those days played with these simple stick dolls"(cf."The Origin of Kokeshi_3").So,"it make no difference whether with limbs or not".

But their judgements were really right as toy business? It was because kokeshi were replaced with more realistic tin toys that they they got old-fashioned in the early 20th.But I think this is also a supporting evidence that kokeshi didn't deeply took root in Tohoku.

(Actually,I even doubt artisans really intended to craft kokeshi as "toys" because the design of them were heading for "art" - in terms of their shape or painting patterns.)

However - I still had one question about "with no limbs" - why didn't they just carve shape of limbs on the surface of kokeshi? - this was common practice in crafting dolls or sculptures.Actually,we can see it in creative-kokeshi,but I have never seen it in traditional kokeshi - while other dolls or wooden sculptures has been caved by using them.

I think "artisans stayed full value of their skills,wood turning".And this was the most significant key to "the origin of kokeshi".

Why in Tohoku?

There was a much booming industry in Tohoku at that time - lacquerware.Its main objects covered with lacquer were wooden products - bowls,cups,dishes and so on.These utensils needed much skills of wood turning.So,many woodworkers were asked to come and settle there.They were highly hailed -"in the beginning".

Originally,wood products were controlled by woodworkers -from chopping down trees to distributing products.But when the industry developed,the new production system was introduced for high volume production -division of labour.The more lacquerware prevailed in Japan,the more its division of labour became thorough - it caused the reduction of woodworker's power.They were degraded as the position of "wood turning workers".Some of them got out of their business.

Some struggled to seek new fields,in which they could manage by themselves and take advantage of their own skills.Then,they found a new rising,but still uncertain market in Tohoku - hot spa.The custom of touji,a kind of Balneotherapy had been prevailing in Tohoku(cf."Relax in Onsen") in 19th,so they moved into a new business - wood crafting in hot spa areas.

They tried desperately to craft many wood crafts there -spinning top,lamp stand,pot,bowl and so on by using lathe - although they were too simple wood crafts without lacquer -because they were not lacquerers.

This was the main background of "why in Tohoku?".

Beauty of Wood turning

I said above,"artisans stayed full value of their skills,wood turning" - it was based on not only their practical purpose - most use of their skills - ,but also their "aesthetic".

[sculpture description]

• kind : sculpture of peacock by hand with chisels and knives
• type : traditional "Sasano-Itto-Hori" in Yamagata Tohoku
• height : 7cm(3inch)
• width : 15cm(6inch)

Before lacquerware developed,wooden product had been plain.The quality of wood products depended on their balanced symmetry,beautiful curving line,smoothness,or fine wood grain -these were all wood turner's fields.But when lacquerware prevailed,people valued much highly lacquering than wood turning -people preferred "fancy colouring" to "austere elegance".

This was so humiliating to wood turners.In addition,there were already many popular carved dolls or sculptures by hand with using chisels or knives - the above picture is an example,which was one of major sculptures in Tohoku (frankly speaking,I have to acknowledge I also like it).Anyway,once they moved into new fields,they had to look for their own product - differentiation strategy.

Kokeshi was one of the fruits of their much efforts.I think they attempted "re-establishment of wood turning".I think,kinakina,simple wood object,a kind of baby's pacifier(dummy) was also "one of their attempts".

(So I also think - "there must have been many obscure wooden products by them")

Why do people feel comfortable when they see kokeshi? I think it is attributed not only to their pretty and rustic visage,but also to their form - symmetry and smooth curving lines.This is so simple,but not easy works."Traditional-kokeshi" - if the term has really some degree of positive significance,it is attributed to artisans' historical attitudes to lathe,wood turning,which has been the cornerstone of their professionalism,I think.

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The Origin of Kokeshi_4

Kokeshi as the Symbol of Poorness?

"Economic circumstances in Tohoku" - whenever discussing this topic,there always comes a word - "Tohoku was poor".It also often implies the following message - "That was all there was to it".But I'll follow my grandmother's suggestion which she gave to me when watching TV commentator's comment on a volent crime - "it's not so good to blame everything on poverty".

Some people say,"Tohoku region of those days was poor and underdeveloped area.Such simple dolls were attributed to its backwardness".

This opinion - I'll call it "the poor-has-no-leisure-theory" - is so simple and clear,and still robust.I also like simple and clear discussion - as long as it is convincing. So,is this convincing?

Please see this link's pictures.These are called "Gosyo-Ningyo",traditional Kyoto-dolls.
They are more realistic and sophisticated than kokeshi.Moreover,some of them are still painfully expensive! In my childhood,about more than 30 years ago,they were a kind of status symbols - I remember some well-off girls boasted about these dolls at school during Hinamatsuri,Girls'Day(Festival) in Japan.My mother would often say,"Thanks God,my three kids are all boys!!" - indeed,I didn't need anything but a set of bat and mitt and ball in my childhood.

Actually,it takes so much time and cost to craft them -these are all wood carving dolls covered with much "Paris white and flour gold".They were basically carved by hand with chisels or knives.They appeared in 15th,and became famous as the most up-scale art crafts dolls in 17th - that is,they are much more traditional than kokeshi.Viewed in this light,"the poor-has-no-leisure-theory" seems quite convincing.

But before concluding it,please see below picture.

Apart from her look to the right - although I think her face is humorous and some funny,but charming - these dolls are called "Miharu-Ningyo",papier-mache dolls with wooden frame.They are also wood carving dolls -however,covered with much "paper" instead of much "Paris white and flour gold" of Kyoto-dolls.

Actually,I think they were "reasonable-edition" of Kyoto-dolls - they had been promoted as one of local industrial developments.Although they might come short of "the glory of Kyoto-Dolls" regarding the degree of sophistication or luxuriousness,still more realistic than kokeshi.And the more important is,its production area,Miharu is located in Tohoku region.They had been crafted in Tohoku from the late of 18th.

There already existed many realistic and fancy dolls in many areas in Japan(cf."Japanese traditional dolls#The_Edo_period" from wikipedia) -including Tohoku region.I'll list another link with pictures of such dolls in Tohoku as some another examples(note:described in only Japanese).
Is "the poor-has-no-leisure-theory" really convincing?

Kokeshi as Woodturning Doll

Even still,some can say,"we accept the point that there were skills of doll crafts in Tohoku of those days.But we think these dolls were intended for other areas,not for its local consumption because common people in Tohoku was so poor".

That might be the case.But to various degrees,I think that might be the case in other areas as well -commoners kids of those days played with just simple stick dolls as Kunio Yanagita,a folklorist said(cf."The Origin of Kokeshi_3").

I wrote on Kyoto-dolls above - "they were basically carved by hand with chisels or knives" - so were most other dolls -except kokeshi."Kokeshi was crafted with rokuro,lathe" - the reason why this has been especially emphasized is due to its unique craft process among many dolls in Japan.
In addition,I'm interested in another historic aspect - kokeshi was latecomer among Japanese traditional dolls as above -according to commonly accepted records,the start of its production was "no more than" early 19th -moreover,I haven't even heard the news that the relics of such earlier kokeshi were discovered.

(I even think that the main motivation of "discovering kokeshi ancestors" might be based on the "wish" - kokeshi itself could have long history.But - is that really essential to its appreciation?)

So again,I really wonder -"why woodworkers of those days in Tohoku crafted dolls with no limbs by using rokuro,while there already existed many dolls with limbs even in Tohoku?" Alan Booth explained it from recipients' side - common people in Tohoku,but I'll do so from providers'side -kijishi,woodworkers.
Although it may be much materialistic and much duller in comparison with his elegant and elegiac description.

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The Origin of Kokeshi_3

Kokeshi as Remainder of a Folk Religion

Kunio Yanagita is the most famous folklorist in Japan,called "the founder of Japanese native folkloristics"."People say",he regarded the origin of kokeshi as worshipped idol rooted mainly in Tohoku region."People say" - actually,I couldn't find the documents on which he clearly said so - Anyway,I'll introduce his "commonly accepted opinion".

Please see this site:"Oshirasama".Here is a picture(enlarged by click) and a summary of it.This is a kind of folk religion in Tohoku.As mentioned here,it is generally known as "a tutelary of the home (ie no kami)"(*1),a kind of guardian angels,and had been worshipped mainly in "Japan's northeastern region"(*1),Tohoku.And "The object of Oshirasama worship generally consists of a pair of sticks of mulberry (occasionally bamboo) about 30 cm long, with male and female faces (or a horse's head) carved or painted in ink on one end.The images are clothed in layers of cloth called osendaku which are added to each year"(*1).This folk religion had prevailed before Edo Era(17th-19th),and still now remains in a few villages in Tohoku.

The points are following:

1. There was an old folk religion,idol worship rooted in Tohoku
2. It had prevailed before Edo era(17th-19th)
3. The idol is just a wooden(or bamboo) stick -it has no limbs

So,"he regarded the origin of kokeshi as 'Oshirasama'".Most people accepted this opinion because it met the most usual deduction "as there had been dolls alike to kokeshi before,the people could accepted latecomer odd-shaped kokeshi easily"(cf.The origin of Kokeshi_2).It also cover the key elements of the question "Why did the people in Tohoku in Edo era accepted dolls with no limbs?"

Find Catalytic Effect

I said his above opinion is "commonly accepted opinion" - because he seemed to have another view on the origin of kokeshi.I'll summarily introduce the excerpt from one of his books:

"Originally,dolls were just simple stick like 'Oshirasama'.Now,there are wooden baby's pacifiers(dummies) made with rokuro,which are a kind of kokeshi.Maybe these(baby's pacifiers or kokeshi) also have the same origin - simple stick"(*2).

And he said "(Such)sticks were originally worshipped objects in the ancient times.They prevailed all around Japan." in other chapters of this book.

Here are some examples.

I really wish you never see them in your dream - I would also think these were quite creepy when I met them for the first time.

These were called "kubi-ningyo" or "kushi-ningyo",literally "head-dolls" or "skewer-dolls".They had prevailed all around Japan in Edo era.The kids of those days played with these dolls - what a fertile imagination!! (they didn't feel creepy?) They often played dress-up with these dolls - 'Oshirasama' was also dressed.And,needless to say,they are quite stick-like.

What did he think about the origin of kokeshi at all -"Oshirasama-origin" or "stick-worship-origin"? In the latter case,this is as same as "the theory of ancient doll-origin" or "the theory of phalluses or some such-origin" which I criticized on the last post - "open-ended".

Honestly,he seems to have thought,"it's not my business!".I heard he criticized some kokeshi authorities as "just kokeshi addicts" - that's quite right because he was a folklorist,not a kokeshi mania.His essential interest was the discovery of hidden history or social structure through folklore or customs in Japan,not pedantic knowledge collecting.

After all,In my opinion,this kind of approach - "as there had been dolls alike to kokeshi before,the people could accepted latecomer kokeshi easily" - has its own limitations.It seem just like the following Q's and As:"Why does water exist?" "Because oxygen and hydrogen exist" - this is not incorrect,but doesn't give any information about its combining process or contributing factors.And "what is the origin of kokeshi?" - if this question deserves to be discussed,it will need to explain such dynamic factors - just like catalytic substances in chemical reactions.In that respect,Alan Booth is more persuasive -he tried to explain it in terms of social circumstances of those days in Japan.

As for the opinion of "Oshirasama-origin",I can only say "it's possible".It seems to suggest its spontaneous arising.But again,I think,"Is it really seamless between just stick dolls and kokeshi?" - dolls crafted deliberately by using rokuro,a lathe for woodworking -this is my primary concern with this matter "dolls made by using rokuro" - there had not been so many woodworkers(kijishi) using rokuro at that time.

It's about time to finish the journey of finding the ancestors of kokeshi.Next time,I'll introduce another approach to this matter,it is mainly based on economic circumstances in Tohoku of those days.

(*1)"Oshirasama" http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=221

(*2)Kunio Yanagita,"Kodomo Hudoki"(こども風土記),Iwanami Shoten,1976

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