"Stout" Kokeshi -Zao Kokeshi

Background of Zao

Mount Zao is an interesting and exciting area - first,as an outdoor recreation spot and second,as a historic district in Tohoku,Japan.

You can enjoy a variety of kind of outdoor recreation there - bicycling,camping,lake canoeing,river fishing,trekking,and climbing in summer,skating and skiing in winter.Of-course,after your recreation,you can relax in onsen(hot spa).

Another aspect of Mount Zao is "sacred mountain".It is one of the bases of an ancient Japanese religion,"Shugendo",whose practitioners do intensely ascetic practice in the deep in the mountains.The name "Zao" comes from the God name of Shugendo(*).

(accurately,the God name is "Zao-Gongen",which has both aspects of God and Buddha -it is because Shugendo itself has both aspects as a religion.In addition,its practitioners had played an important role in Japanese history -I'll discuss it another time.)

According to a lore,the beginning of onsen(hot spa) was early 2th -is that really?But even though it is rather overstated,it's sure that its area was opened up in the early time based on many remains and monuments.

The beginning of kokeshi production was in the close of the 19th,deliberately promoted on commercial basis - a souvenir shop owner sent one of his sons to Togatta,preceding kokeshi production area in order to master kokeshi,then he started selling them as a new souvenir product.It became a big hit - What a stout commercial spirit!And Its stout spirit is shown in their kokeshi.

Stocky Kokeshi

[kokeshi description]

• artisan : Tsunekichi Abe
• type : Traditional Zao
• tall : 30cm(12inch)
• max width : 9cm(3.5inch)
• max circumference : 27cm(11inch)

Zao kokeshi originally comes from Togatta kokeshi.But Afterwards,many other area's artisans migrated there,and it formed unique characteristics.Don't you think this doll is rather stocky?This is the most characteristic of Zao kokeshi.

The second is drooping nose.I think his nose is cute.This is in contrast to Togatta kokeshi,its parent -inverted-v nose.Actually,Togatta had originally such drooping noses,and afterwards they were given "rhinoplasty surgery",whereas Zao's remains.I think he must run away from the surgery just as I used to runaway from an injection in my childhood.

By the way,he seems to be somewhat awkward -because of floral-print dress.So,I'm so sorry,he might be not a boy,but a girl!Anyway,she seems as if she was forced to put on Sunday best - this floral pattern is the artisan's own style and it gives some humorousness.It reminds me of my childhood - my parents bought Sunday best for my entrance ceremony at elementary school,which was far from looking good on brat me.

Porter and Stout

There was a big and heavy stone monument on one of the peaks in Mount Zao,called "Mt.Ganto",1485m(4872ft) high.According to a lore,it weighs about 140kg(308lbs),it was brought by a mountain porter.Is that really? but it's sure there was many mountain porters in the past in Japan.They were stocky and stout,and often big drinkers - unfortunately,although they had little chance to enjoy porter and stout.The frame of Zao kokeshi give me the image of them.Maybe their artisans have crafted them with their wish for their children's strong growth like such mountain porters.And as for me,I go to gym with wish for losing my beer gut!