Noboru Wagatsuma | 我妻昇 Irodori Kokeshi No. 12 — One of a Kind
A child sits in the topknot. Sheltered. Protected.
This is Tama-ire — a Kokeshi form where a smaller figure nests inside the larger one. Mother and child, inseparable. Wagatsuma Noboru makes that logic visible: the baby sits on top, held by the hair, in plain sight. Nothing hidden. Everything said.
The colour leaves no doubt: deep magenta, close to shocking, cut through with floral motifs in gold and sumi ink. No whispering. Against the porcelain-white Mizuki wood it lands with full weight. The florals are precise — each motif placed with intention, not scattered.
This kokeshi resembles no other — and it will not come again.
Height: approx. 12 cm + topknot hairstyle with baby Kokeshi
Noboru Wagatsuma combines the traditional language of Togatta Kokeshi with modern motifs, unusual silhouettes and expressive colour. His former career as a singer-songwriter continues to resonate through his work, giving many pieces a distinctive and often surprising character.
