Kakizawa Kokeshi Doll 18cm (7.1 in)

Naruko kokeshi carry a feature no other regional style shares. The head, press-fitted to the body on a lathe rather than glued, emits a soft frictional squeak when turned — a sound that results directly from the precision of the join, not decoration applied after the fact. Kakizawa Kokeshi Studio has worked in this tradition since 1970, operating from Kamiyanno in Naruko Onsen, where Yoshinobu, trained under the late Kakizawa Koretaka from 1993, continues the studio's exacting approach to Naruko's most recognized motif: the large chrysanthemum, painted in red across the body with teal leaves and a pale ground, rendered with the density and layering that competition-level Naruko work demands. The face follows strict regional convention — a carefully drawn fringe across the forehead, composed features, the expression neither animated nor blank. Each doll is made entirely by a single artisan from raw wood to finished surface. This is the 18cm form.