Traditional Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, full front view, 37 cm tall, hand-painted chrysanthemum body decoration, red banding, standing next to a matcha whisk for scale, Shōwa period Japan

Yamagata kokeshi face close-up by Takasaki Eiichirō, painted facial features, red floral hair decoration, black eyebrow lines, small red mouth, smooth natural wood, Shōwa period

Yamagata-kei kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō shown at full height next to matcha whisk, red chrysanthemum motif visible, traditional Japanese wooden doll, Shōwa period

Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, rear view, natural unpainted wood back, red lathe-turned banding stripes at neck and base, Shōwa period Japan

Traditional Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, three-quarter rear view, natural wood grain visible, ukiyo-e print in background, Shōwa period

Yamagata-kei kokeshi Takasaki Eiichirō, angled front view showing full proportions, hand-painted chrysanthemum and red banding, Shōwa period traditional Japanese wooden doll

Top view of Yamagata kokeshi head by Takasaki Eiichirō, red painted floral decoration on crown, smooth natural wood, overhead shot showing painted motif pattern, Shōwa period

Side view of Yamagata kokeshi head by Takasaki Eiichirō showing red painted motif on smooth natural wood, rounded form, Shōwa period Japan

Yamagata kokeshi head back view, natural unpainted wood surface, smooth lathe-turned finish, Takasaki Eiichirō, Shōwa period Japan

Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, head detail showing red painted floral decoration against natural wood grain, Shōwa period traditional Japanese doll

Close view of Yamagata kokeshi face and painted hair decoration, Takasaki Eiichirō, gentle hand-painted expression with red floral crown motif, Shōwa period

Yamagata kokeshi neck and shoulder detail, Takasaki Eiichirō, lathe-turned red and white banding stripes where head meets body, traditional Yamagata-kei construction, Shōwa period

Body decoration detail of Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, hand-painted chrysanthemum motif in soft red with green leaf accents on natural wood, Shōwa period Japan

Base of Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, hand-brushed signature reading Yonezawa Takasaki Eiichirō in Japanese calligraphy with red maker's seal, Shōwa periodSonnet 4.6Adaptive

Large traditional Yamagata kokeshi by Takasaki Eiichirō, chrysanthemum motif, ca. 37 cm, 1kg, Shōwa period

Name: Yamagata kokeshi Takasaki Eiichirō chrysanthemum signed 37cm | KAIKO&CO
Brand: KAIKO&CO
Price: 185.0 EUR
Availability: InStock

€185.00

This kokeshi is not something you tuck into a corner. What catches your eye first is the chrysanthemum painted across the front: vivid red, broad confident brushstrokes, green leaf accents cutting through the warm wood tone.

Fine red and green banding lines, painted on the lathe while the wood was spinning, frame the motif above and below. Natural grain shows through wherever paint does not. The balance between the painted and the bare is exactly right.

Eiichirō Takasaki (1904 to 1997) was one of the last craftsmen to carry the Yamagata-kei kokeshi lineage deep into the Shōwa period. The base of this piece is signed in brush calligraphy with his city and full name, pressed with his red seal.

This is a kokeshi that stands her ground even after all these years. Stable and bright.

What makes this kokeshi special

The up close look and feel

The weight is the first surprise: over a kilo of dense solid wood, warm in the hand. The surface has the smoothness of a piece turned with care, a slight sheen where paint meets natural grain.

The red of the chrysanthemum is not faded but a deep warm lacquer-red, still vivid after decades. And her facial expression is still very vibrant and inviting.

Charming details

The base tells a quiet story. The maker's brush-written signature reads 米沢, his city, followed by 高崎栄一郎, his full name. Above it sits a red rectangular seal.

This combination of place, name and personal stamp is how a craftsman claimed his work in the Shōwa period: no certificate, no label, just the mark used for a lifetime. It takes a moment to notice.

- Style: Yamagata-kei (Yamagata school) traditional kokeshi. Solid, lathe-turned cylindrical body with red banding, painted floral motifs on natural wood.
- Made by Eiichirō Takasaki (高崎栄一郎).
- Born 1904 in Yamagata Prefecture, died 1997.
- He trained under Kobayashi Kichitarō, one of the foundational masters of the Yamagata-kei lineage.
- He worked for much of his career in Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture.
- Signed on the base in brush calligraphy: 米沢高崎栄一郎, with red seal.
- Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Shōwa period (1926 to 1989), likely mid to late Shōwa.
- Height: ca. 37 cm
- Weight: ca. 1,078 gr
- Excellent vintage condition.
- Hand-painted colours remain vivid.
- The wood has developed a warm natural patina consistent with her age.
- No chips, cracks, or repairs.
- No water and no damp cloth.
- The painted decoration is applied directly to the wood and will lift if it comes into contact with moisture.
- Clean with a soft dry cloth only.
- Keep away from direct sunlight and heat sources. The wood will dry out and may crack near a radiator over time, and older pieces are more sensitive to this than newer ones.