This kokeshi is wearing a dark green kimono with red and light green accents. She was created by the award-winning kokeshi artisan Sekiguchi Tōa (関口 東亜), the son of kokeshi-shi legend Sekiguchi Sansaku (関口 三作).
This beauty is called Kaguya hime (かぐや姫), Princess Kaguya. She is named for the protagonist in the oldest folk tale in Japan “The tale of the bamboo cutter” (Taketori Monogatari, 竹取物語). The story is roughly 1,100 to 1,150 years old, dating back to the late 9th or early 10th century of Japan’s Heian period. Studio Ghibli fans will recognise the name as the title of one of their anime films The tale of the Princess Kaguya (Kaguya-hime no Monogatari, かぐや姫の物語) from 2013, directed by Isao Takahata.
Her round, oval nestling body symbolises the glowing bamboo shoot where the humble bamboo cutter first discovers her as a tiny, miraculous baby. The green and red patterns etched on her dark kimono are stylised bamboo leaves layered with shimmering gold or glitter accents, reflecting her celestial, moon-born nature. You can see subtle lines carved into the sides of her head to illustrate the traditional Hime katto (姫カット, Princess cut), featuring longer hair with sharply cut cheek-length sidelocks, typical for high-born Heian period nobility.
Specifications:
Height: 11 centimetres
Weight: 524 grams
Material:
Mizuki (Giant dogwood)