A kendama carrying a kokeshi – and a kokeshi that is itself a kendama. Kijidokoro Sato, rooted in the Yajiro region since the Meiji era, brings together two craft traditions in a single object: both a toy and a work of art.
The ken – the heart of the kendama – is designed as a complete kokeshi figure. The conical body features the characteristic rokuro-moyo pattern of the Yajiro school: dense lines in yellow, red, green and black, warm and saturated, running through the natural mizuki wood without concealing it. At the lower end, a geometric zigzag border appears – precisely turned and a distinctive feature of this version. The two sakazuki are left natural: pale wood used as a deliberate contrast to the painted centre.
The tama – the ball – is designed as a kokeshi head. Strong eyebrows, hitoe-mabuta eyes with black side locks of hair, red cheeks and a red mouth define the face. The black crown of hair ends at the top with a suggested green finish. The expression is alert, direct and present. A white string connects the tama and ken.
The kendama plays. The kokeshi watches – this time with open eyes.
The kendama fully corresponds to Competition Size, as established by the Japan Kendama Association (JKA). This makes it suitable not only as a collector’s item, but also for advanced players who value professional dimensions and balance.
Special features:
Kokeshi kendama in the Yajiro tradition
Ken as a kokeshi figure: rokuro-moyo turning, zigzag border motif
Tama as a kokeshi head: hitoe-mabuta eyes, Yajiro-style hair crown
Natural sakazuki – mizuki wood with visible grain
Competition Size according to JKA standards
Hand-turned and hand-painted by Kijidokoro Sato, Miyagi
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.
