Kokeshi

Kokeshi (こけし kokeshi^?), are Japanese dolls, originally from northern Japan. They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. One characteristic of kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs. The bottom is marked with the signature of the artist.

"Traditional" kokeshi (伝統こけし dentō-kokeshi^?) dolls' shapes and patterns are particular to a certain area and are classified under eleven types. The most dominant type is the Naruko variety originally made in Miyagi Prefecture, which can also be found in Akita, Iwate, and Yamagata Prefectures.

"Creative" kokeshi (新型こけし shingata-kokeshi^?) allow the artist complete freedom in terms of shape, design and color and were developed after World War II (1945). They are not particular to a specific region of Japan and generally creative kokeshi artists are found in cities.