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
Signed by the artist
Dimensions:
Ken height: 160 mm
Tama diameter: 60 mm
Sarado width: 70 mm
Big Cup inner diameter: 40 mm
Small Cup inner diameter: 36 mm
Base Cup inner diameter: 34 mm
Wood: Mizuki dogwood
Please note
This product is not a toy and should be kept out of the reach of children.
