MOOMIN×Usaburo Kokeshi Little My
An official collaboration between popular characters and Usaburo Kokeshi dolls.
Little My appears as a kokeshi doll!
Bun hair, stylish dress, and scheming eyes.
The result is a cute kokeshi doll that is filled with the Mii-like character.
The world of Moominvalley and the gentle texture of the wood match well, and just looking at it is soothing.
Kokeshi dolls that can be enjoyed by everyone from small children to adults.
Feel the warmth of wood and experience Japanese tradition.
I carefully handcraft each item one by one while imagining such a scene.
Kokeshi blends naturally into the interior of your room.
It is also used as a gift for loved ones.
What is Usaburo Kokeshi?
[Kokeshi is a forest. ]
Usaburo Kokeshi is located in Shinto Village, Gunma Prefecture, which is rich in nature.
All the wood used for the kokeshi dolls is collected from the mountains of Gunma. By using mature trees, we encourage the regeneration of forests and play a part in the cycle of maintaining green woodlands.
Kokeshi dolls are the reincarnation of the forest. It is a gift from nature.
[Kokeshi is a technique]
The carvings, the overlapping burnt lines, the blurring and shading, and the gentle eyes.
Using kokeshi doll making techniques inherited from our predecessors, we gently depict the simple beauty of the Japanese people. Kokeshi is a craft of skill. We infuse life into trees while weaving tradition and newness.
[Kokeshi is a wish. ]
Kokeshi dolls began in the Edo period. It is said that it was created to express the wishes for physical and mental recovery, a good harvest, and the growth of children.
The desire for daily happiness and security is the same today. May blessings and encouragement reach your loved ones through kokeshi dolls. Kokeshi dolls are the shape of wishes. It is a talisman that comes close to your daily life.
[Kokeshi is a connection. ]
Suddenly, ``that person'' appears on my eyelids, and I wonder if he's okay. Kokeshi dolls may give you such an opportunity.
The person who gave it to me. A child in his early days. Families living apart. Me that day. Memories created through kokeshi dolls transcend time and space and come back to life. Kokeshi dolls are a connection between people. It is a memory of warmth.
First generation | Usaburo Okamoto
Founder of Usaburo Kokeshi. Born in Shinto Village, Gunma Prefecture in 1919.
After making crafts using artificial stones and metals, he started making kokeshi dolls in 1951.
Soon, in addition to brush painting, which was the mainstream at the time, he created expressive techniques such as carving and pyrography that gave a three-dimensional effect, and established the prototype of Usaburo Kokeshi dolls that still exist today.
He worked diligently on research to prevent wood from cracking, and succeeded in incorporating wood that was considered unsuitable for processing into kokeshi dolls one after another. Usaburo's masterpiece, ``Kantsubaki,'' which features his favorite camellia flowers on the beautiful grain of ``Zelkova,'' was given the honor of being purchased by Emperor Showa.
Since setting up a mass production system combining handwork and machinery in 1971, we have grown into a workshop that boasts the largest production volume of kokeshi dolls in Japan, and remained active throughout our lives until our death in July 2009 at the age of 91. I did.
Body size (mm)
Width 50 x Depth 50 x Height 95
Body weight
100g
material
Mizuki
Country of origin
Japan