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00:11 Simple, charming and colorful,
00:14 kokeshi are a traditional type of Japanese doll.
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00:20 The design represents a young girl wearing a kimono.
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00:30 Kokeshi date from about 200 years ago.
00:33 Visitors to onsen hot springs bought them as souvenirs for their children.
00:38 [Music]
00:42 The first kokeshi were made in the Tohoku region.
00:45 [Music]
00:47 There are several kinds, from Nambu kokeshi with swiveling heads
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00:54 to Yajiro kokeshi wearing painted caps.
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00:59 And Tsuchiyu kokeshi that have a pattern of horizontal stripes.
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01:05 In all there are 11 kokeshi traditions, each with its own distinct character.
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01:13 The largest producer of kokeshi dolls is Naruko Onsen in Miyagi.
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01:21 There's a museum here where you can see some of the oldest examples
01:24 and even try your hand at painting a doll.
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01:33 Okazaki Yasuo has been a kokeshi artisan for about 50 years.
01:38 [Music]
01:41 The head and body of Naruko kokeshi are crafted separately.
01:45 [Music]
01:53 The neck is carved with a protruding knob,
01:56 while the body has a hole that is a little smaller than the knob's diameter.
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02:10 The head is forcefully screwed into the body as it rotates.
02:17 Because of the tight fit, the doll makes a cute chirping sound when you turn the head.
02:21 [Chirping sound]
02:33 It takes great ability as well as skill to make Naruko kokeshi.
02:40 [Phone ringing]
02:41 Okazaki recently accepted a new apprentice.
02:44 [Phone ringing]
02:49 Tanabe Kaori left her previous job as an engineer to train as a kokeshi artisan.
02:55 [Music]
03:05 These dolls are all painted by hand.
03:07 It's a task requiring intense concentration.
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03:16 I saw a video of Okazaki sensei and was so impressed by his beautiful painting
03:21 that I decided to become a kokeshi artisan myself.
03:27 Okazaki says the face of a kokeshi expresses the spirit of the person that painted it.
03:35 This is where it all comes from. You have to have a kind heart.
03:38 The way Tanabe paints is completely different than the way I do. It's so sweet.
03:43 I'd like more apprentices who make dolls like her.
03:48 Naruko Onsen holds an annual festival featuring kokeshi from all over Japan.
03:53 Each year it attracts more and more female fans.
03:59 Watanabe Maiko is a collector who owns over 3,000 kokeshi dolls.
04:06 These aren't just traditional designs.
04:09 She has plenty of intriguingly creative modern dolls too.
04:15 They're so cute, just like children.
04:17 Every time I leave the house I pick a doll to take with me.
04:20 It's like choosing a dress for the day.
04:23 It's great fun.
04:26 With its placid, gentle features and the natural warmth of wood,
04:31 a kokeshi doll brings peace and calm to any home.
04:37 For more information, visit the Osaka Prefectural Government website.
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