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 Kokeshi Dolls
Kokeshi ningyo are simple play dolls made of a cylinder of wood. Considered a folk art, they were created in the northern region of Tohoku, a very cold rural area. Scraps of wood would be turned on a lathe and carved into the simple form of the kokeshi, with a cylindrical body and a round head.
The origin of kokeshi is uncertain, but there are several competing theories. One popular theory derives from the name of the doll. Kokeshi, which is usually written in hiragana, a basic Japanese alphabet, could be written in kanji, Chinese characters, as meaning 'extinguished child'. The theory is that kokeshi dolls were originally substitutes for female infants who were killed at birth by the poor families of the harsh cold Tohoku region. However, as they are play dolls, many people dismiss the theory. Another theory identifies the kokeshi with the female tachibina, or standing hina doll, substituting much more abundant wood for the more elaborate paper and wood construction of the tachibina. Whatever the origin, kokeshi dolls were popular toys among children in the north, and grew to be popular collector's craft items throughout Japan.
  
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