【About Japan’s Traditional crafts】～ Naruko Traditional-style Kokeshi Dolls chess Kokess～
2019.07.23 
RELEASE
【About Japan’s Traditional crafts】～ Naruko Traditional-style Kokeshi Dolls chess Kokess～
About Kokeshi
This is a wooden doll toy made by lathe for children in Tohoku area around the final years of Edo era.
And it has a simple form with a spherical head and a columnar body. After that, it started to be sold as a decoration gift for the customers visiting for a hot-spring cure since there are many hot spring places in Tohoku area.
About Kokess
This is a collaboration product named “Kokess”. The piece is Kokeshi doll and the rule is as of chess.
We combined the Kokeshi doll and the chess, the worldwide board game, as a prototype of the existing product for the new purpose.
High school students designed this product. You can enjoy it as a cute gift by utilizing the element of Kokeshi doll or as a game by utilizing the element of chess.
This is also a unique point that the game board is decorated by Japanese traditional wrapping cloth. at these “Japanese treasures” continue to be preserved by the following generations.
Package image
History
This product was created by the high school teacher and students in a local town here in Japan.
They were planning to create some new gifts altogether by utilizing the existing product when Aomori section of Tohoku Shinkansen was opened.
One day, the teacher shared his story that he used to play with Kokeshi doll by carrying it on his back during his childhood.
Since there was a child in his class that his father was a Kokeshi doll craftsman, they started to have a discussion about “Kokeshi doll”.
Finally, they started the project to use Kokeshi doll for kid’s playing, even though it was used just for an appreciation.
Also, since “Tsugaru Kokeshi”, which was a traditional art craft in a local town, mainly made in the local area, it turned into a large project involving whole local area to achieve the local cultural and economic revitalization.
When the high school students who worked on this project graduated, the project was taken over by their juniors. After several years of continuous improvement “Kokess” was finally ready for commercialisation.
To attract foreign visitors, it was created by accommodating different ideas and warmth of high school students and teachers, such as the Japanese wrapping cloth used for a game board and the paper box which is like Japanese sweets.
Game image
Manufacturing Method Movie
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