Togatta kokeshi signed by Agatsuma Satoshi with iris motif from Miyagi, Shōwa period

Name: Togatta kokeshi Agatsuma Satoshi signed iris motif Miyagi | KAIKO&CO
Brand: KAIKO&CO
Price: 85.0 EUR
Availability: InStock

€85.00

The face draws you in first: half-moon eyes, a small closed mouth, and a confident hairline in black. From there, red radiating lines sweep across the entire head in the unmistakable Togatta sunburst. The body carries a hand-painted iris in deep red with long green leaves, each petal laid down in a single fluid stroke. No outlines, no corrections.

Togatta kokeshi come from the Zao area of Miyagi Prefecture, one of the oldest kokeshi-producing regions in Japan. The tradition began with craftsmen at mountain hot spring resorts making simple wooden toys for visitors, and grew, across generations, into a living folk art with its own distinct vocabulary of forms and markings. A signed piece from a craftsman registered in that lineage is not decoration. It is a record of continuity.

What makes this kokeshi special

The look and feel up close

The wood has the warm, slightly golden tone of natural Japanese wood that has settled gently over decades. The sunburst on the head is painted in fine red lines radiating outward from the crown, each line even and deliberate.

The iris on the body is rendered in a deep vermilion, with arching green leaves that follow the curve of the cylinder naturally. The overall surface has the quiet smoothness of age-worn lacquer: not a rough grain, but a slight softness in the hand, as if the wood has been handled many times and remembers it.

Charming details

Look at the flower on the body: it is an iris, ayame in Japanese, a flower with a specific meaning in Japanese culture. The iris is associated with strength and the ability to push through difficulty, which is why it traditionally appeared on objects made for Boys' Day celebrations in May. Finding it on a kokeshi is not unusual, but it is intentional. The craftsman who chose this motif was not just filling space. The iris on this doll carries a wish forward, quietly.

- Made by Agatsuma Satoshi (我妻聡). Born 1950.
- Second-generation Togatta kokeshi craftsman, Zao area, Miyagi Prefecture.
- Registered in the official register of traditional kokeshi craftsmen maintained by the Japan Kokeshi Association.
- He signed the base.
- Zao area, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
- Late Shōwa period, ca. 1970 to 1980.
- Height: ca. 19 cm
- Weight: approx. 176 gr
- Vintage. Beautiful patina with the warm tone of age-settled wood.
- Light surface wear consistent with period and use.
- No chips, cracks or repairs.
- Kokeshi are made from natural wood and should be kept away from direct sunlight, radiators and damp environments, as these cause cracking and warping over time.
- Dust with a soft dry cloth.
- Do not use water or cleaning products on the surface.