Vintage Japanese Kokeshi - Naruko style chrysanthemums – signed Kojima Chōjirō (小島長治郎) – 21 cm

📐 Specifications:

• Origin: Japan, Naruko Onsen (Miyagi Prefecture), found in Tokyo Prefecture.
• Period: Shōwa Era, datable between the 1970s–1980s
• Style: Naruko-kei (鳴子系)
• Artisan: Kojima Chōjirō (小島長治郎, 1926–2018)
• Material: Turned wood, hand-painted
• Height: 21 cm
• Signature: Calligraphed under the base, in kanji
• Condition: Very good vintage condition, subtle patina, well-preserved colors

🧑 The artisan: Kojima Chōjirō (小島長治郎, 1926–2018)

Born on September 9, 1926, in Nametsu, Shichikashuku-machi village (Katta district, Miyagi Prefecture), Kojima Chōjirō – often romanized as "Kojima" although his name is read Ojima – is one of the most respected artisans of the Naruko style kokeshi tradition.

The eldest son of a farmer, he began working with wood in 1941, at the age of 16, under the tutelage of master Suzuki Yokichi, at the Tōhoku Kōgei Igarashi factory in Nametsu. After completing his training in 1945, he founded his own workshop in 1950. He initially produced original models before returning, from 1974, to a faithful production of traditional kokeshi from his master. He then set up his workshop in Haramichishita, still in his native village.

From 1977, he trained his own disciple, Ogata Michinori, who would in turn become a recognized artisan in the world of traditional kokeshi. Kojima Chōjirō passed away on February 1, 2018, at the age of 93, leaving behind a body of work that was both masterfully executed and deeply rooted in the Naruko heritage.

🌸 Details:

This kokeshi features all the attributes of the Naruko style: a slender body, a finely outlined neck, a serene face, and a V-shaped painted hairstyle framing delicate black strands. The wood has a patina, revealing subtle reflections depending on the light, while the well-preserved paint reveals a floral motif of great finesse.

At the center of the body, there is a hishigiku motif (菱菊), literally "diamond chrysanthemum," hand-painted in a deep vermillion red. This motif, emblematic of the Naruko style and directly inherited from the school of Suzuki Yokichi, represents the stylized chrysanthemum, a symbol of longevity and purity in Japanese iconography. It is accompanied by soft green leaves, arranged symmetrically around the central flower.

The top of the head is decorated with a red floral ring painted with the same precision, reminiscent of the seasonal ornaments found in traditional Japanese hairstyles. The whole evokes autumn, ephemeral beauty, and the serenity of the natural world as celebrated by the aesthetics of Tōhoku.

🦝 We love:

The high quality and precision of Master Kojima Chōjirō's work, the diamond chrysanthemum typical of Naruko, and the original red motifs on the top of its head. A traditional Naruko in all its beauty, and in perfect condition!