Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum in Kuroishi / 黒石にある津軽こけし館

Last Monday (which is my day off), my wife and I, along with my mother-in-law were planning on just doing a little shopping at Big (a food discount store) in Namioka (a suburb of Aomori). However, the weather was so beautiful out, my mother-in-law didn't want to just go home. So on the spur of the moment, we decided to drive to Kuroishi. We were going to check out the Tsugaru Kokeshi Musuem.
Just in case you don't know what a Kokeshi doll is, they are Japanese dolls, originally made in Northern Japan.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 typically marked with the signature of the artist. Courtesy of Wikipedia. There are 11 different types of Kokeshi Dolls with the 11th and newest style being the Tsugaru Kokeshi Dolls. I am not going to go into detail on the other ten.

先週の月曜日、僕と僕の妻と義理の母が浪岡にあるフードディスカウントショップ「Big」に買い物をした。天気が良くて義理の母はこのままうちに帰りたくないからちょっとドライブでも出来ないかと提案。予定もなかったんですが、黒石市にある津軽こけし館に行くことにした。

It may be April but not all of the snow has melted here in snow country.

もう４月というのに、雪国にはまだ雪が完全に溶けてません。

The Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum / 津軽こけし館

Oh no! I have become a Kokeshi Doll while my mother-in-law looks on amused.

あぁ！自分がこけしになった！苦笑いで義理の母が僕を見てる。

You are greeted at the entrance of by two large Kokeshi lanterns.

津軽こけし館の入口の前に津軽こけし灯篭が迎えてくれる。

There are hundreds of different sized Kokeshi dolls on display at the store. All of which are for sale. The museum portion is on the second floor.

津軽こけしが数え切れないくらいある。展示されてるこけしは２階にありますが、１階のほうは結構販売してます。

Japan's largest wooden based daruma / 日本一木地だるま

And one very large Kokeshi doll!

そして日本一ジャンボこけし！

Wooden pieces for making a kokeshi doll.

こけしになる前の木材。

After checking out the kokeshi dolls for sale, we decided to see the kokeshi dolls that were on display on the second floor.

売り物のこけしも見終わったら、２階で展示されてる津軽こけしを見に行きました。

I love this set that looks like little Russian matryoshka dolls.

ロシアのマトリョーシカ人形みたいなこけしが可愛い。

2nd Generation Gold and Silver Kokeshi /二代目 銀・銀こけし

Gotta love some of the freestyle kokeshi.

自由形のこけしも個性的で面白い。

Hanging out with my new friend.

新しい友達とのツーショット。

In case you were wondering what was on the bottom of the doll. This one has feet but it is where the artist usually writes their name.

こけしの下の裏はこういう感じです。これは足が描いてる。作者こけしの下で名前を書くのが常識みたいです。

This display housed some celebrity kokeshi dolls. This one is my Sakura Momoko, creator of "Chibi Maruko-chan".

芸能人のこけしも展示されます。これはさくらもも子の作品。もちろんちびまる子ちゃんである。

And the triumvirate of politicians - from left to right: Former Prime Minister Taro Aso, current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and current Governer of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike.

そして３人の政治家 ー 左から内閣福総理大臣、麻生太郎、内閣総理大臣、安倍晋三、と東京の知事、小池百合子。

The tops were kind of cool too.

駒も結構カッコイイ。

A kokeshi make with a bunch of little kokeshi.

こけしだらけのこけし。

Kokeshi cats / こけし猫

Mini kokeshi capsule toy machine / ミニこけしガチャ

When we returned to the shop on the first floor, a kokeshi artist was hard at work making a new kokeshi doll.

１階に戻ったら、こけしを作る職人さんが居ました。

And you gotta check out the tops too.

駒の動画もみるべし。

And located behind the Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum is the Tsugaru Traditional Crafts Museum but that will be for the next post.

津軽こけし館の裏に津軽伝承工芸館。そこも行きましたが、それはまた別の時に話ます。