A baby rests in its basket – sheltered, still, barely visible. The Ejiko form, originally inspired by the wooden carrying baskets in which children of the Tōhoku region were cradled during fieldwork, is here reduced to its emotional essence: protection, warmth, and a sense of being held. This Kokeshi variant has long been regarded as an expression of maternal care – and Hideyuki Sato carries that tradition forward with a handwriting entirely his own.
The basket shows natural wood as its base tone – warm, unhurried. Horizontal Rokuro-Moyo bands in yellow, orange, red, and green articulate the outer wall in steady rhythm. Between them, a hand-painted Ume branch: several blossoms in red, black boughs, calligraphic and fuller than the season might suggest. Early spring, just before the last of the snow.
Nestled inside sits the Kokeshi figure: a round head with a straight fringe, closed eyes in the Fuse-me style, a delicate smile, rosy cheeks. Along the side, a small hand-painted motif – a bud on a branch. The black hair crown sits flat, with a clean, defined edge.
Features
Ejiko-Kokeshi in the Yajiro tradition
Basket: natural wood base, Ume motif, Rokuro-Moyo bands in yellow, orange, red, and green
Hideyuki Sato represents the third generation of the long-established Kijidokoro Sato workshop. As a Kokeshi kōjin, he masters the complete process, from selecting and preparing the wood to turning, painting and finishing each individual Kokeshi.
