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 an unmistakable boldness of colour.
The bowl glows in deep orange. Across the outer wall, three hand-painted motifs spanning the cycle of the seasons: Ume branches in red and black – calligraphic, linear; a Tsubaki blossom in deep red with green leaves and a yellow centre; Kiku chrysanthemums in red and dark green, rendered with a broad brushstroke, almost painterly. At the upper edge, a Rokuro-Moyo band in red and green. Viewed from above, the bowl reveals its true face: wide concentric rings in red, orange, and green – turned, rhythmic, abstract.
Nestled inside sits the Kokeshi figure: a round head, closed eyes in the Fuse-me style, a delicate smile, rosy cheeks. The black hair crown bears red decorative blossoms along the hairline. From above: matt black, with a single red circle at the centre – reduced to the absolute minimum.
Features
Ejiko-Kokeshi in the Yajiro tradition
Bowl: orange ground, three motifs – Ume, Tsubaki, Kiku
After working as a motor mechanic and seaman, Seiko Sato returned to his family’s Kokeshi tradition. Training under Yajiro master Seishi Takahashi provided the foundation for Kijidokoro Sato, the family workshop now continued jointly by several generations.
