Kimekomi Dolls: Born in Kyoto, Developed in Edo

I never knew there were different types of Hina dolls.

Hina dolls are broadly divided into two types: Isho-gi-ningyo, which are dressed in costumes over a body made from a core of wood or straw, and Kimekomi-ningyo (Kimekomi dolls). Kimekomi dolls are made using a technique called 'kimekomi,' where fabric is tucked into grooves carved into a molded base. This base, called 'toso,' is made from a hardened mixture of paulownia sawdust and 'shofu-nori' (wheat starch paste). A key feature is that they are less prone to losing their shape because of the solid base, and the 'toso' can be molded into a wide variety of forms.

Their origins trace back to the Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto during the Genbun era (1736-1741). Dolls carved from leftover pieces of wood used for festival tools, dressed in scraps of fabric from festival costumes, were cherished as Kamo-ningyo (Kamo dolls). This craft made its way to Edo, where the manufacturing process evolved to use molded 'toso' bodies for mass production. This became the Edo Kimekomi doll.

Has Kakinuma Dolls always been making dolls in Koshigaya, Saitama?

Kakinuma Dolls was founded in 1950. My grandfather, who was born into a family of woodworkers, became a doll maker after visiting a workshop in the post-war period and established his own business in Arakawa Ward, Tokyo. Our headquarters is still in Arakawa Ward, but about 40 years ago, we moved our production base to Koshigaya in search of a larger factory. It seems he chose Koshigaya to build relationships with artisans in an area close to Iwatsuki in Saitama Prefecture, which is famous for doll making.

So, Kimekomi dolls are made through a division of labor among many artisans.

That's right. The creation of a single Kimekomi doll is a collaborative effort, bringing together the skills of many specialized artisans. There are craftsmen who mold the 'toso' body, those who carve the grooves, the kimekomi artisans who meticulously tuck in the fabric, the 'menso-shi' who paint the delicate facial features, and the 'keppatsu-shi' who styles the hair. It is this convergence of expertise that imbues each doll with its unique spirit.

Tradition Alone Isn't Enough. But Following Trends Means Losing Individuality.

What led you to become a doll artisan?

Since I'm not the eldest son, I originally had no intention of taking over the family business. After a period of aspiring to be a doctor or a pilot, I started working as a police officer after graduating from university. After working for a few years, the factory manager was retiring, and the previous generation head of the family asked me, 'Why don't you give it a try?' After much consideration, I decided to join the family business.

Currently, I work alongside my older brother, the Representative Director, as the Managing Director in charge of the production site.

I hear that you've been developing products adapted to modern times, using your unique sense of style to create things like compact Hina dolls that are easy to display even in apartments.

Simply upholding tradition isn't enough to capture the interest of modern customers. Based on feedback like 'Hina dolls are too big, and there's no place to display them,' we've been making smaller Hina dolls that are easy to store and blend in with modern interiors.

However, and this is the difficult part, if you adapt too much to the times, you lose your individuality. Following trends, we also made Hina dolls with glass eyes instead of painted ones and used bright color palettes, but in doing so, we ended up losing what makes Kakinuma Dolls unique.

I feel we need to go back to our origins, rediscover the essence of Japanese tradition, and create vibrant dolls that are infused with a sense of novelty and fun—creations that can be embraced by today's lifestyles.

Your dolls, which blend tradition with a modern touch, have even been shown at international exhibitions and are gaining global recognition.

In collaboration with industrial designer Atsushi Onuma, we've been crafting the "kihina PARIS" series. These dolls incorporate traditional techniques like Akita cedar ajiro-ami basket weaving and Kanuma kumiko latticework with hemp leaf patterns for the storage display case. At the same time, they're designed for modern living—compact enough for easy display in apartments and convenient to store.

We unveiled these dolls in 2015 at "MEET MY PROJECT at SALONS Christofle," hosted in the main gallery of the prestigious Parisian jewelry brand, Christofle.

The response at the exhibition was great. Of course, since the culture of Hina dolls doesn't exist overseas, there were some challenges in helping people understand them. Still, I felt that the charm of kimekomi dolls could truly resonate with a global audience.

Where Tradition Meets Modernity: KIMEKOMI for the World

And now, your maneki-neko (beckoning cats) made with Edo kimekomi techniques are creating a buzz. They've been picked up by international buyers and are part of several collaborations here in Japan.

We wanted to create an opportunity for more people to discover kimekomi, so lately we've been focusing on developing products beyond the traditional seasonal festival dolls. Our maneki-neko, which use Edo kimekomi techniques, have been especially successful, leading to a variety of new opportunities, including collaborations.

About 10 years ago, our Edo kimekomi "maneki-neko" was chosen for the Tokyo Teshigoto Project, which pairs artisans with designers. This gave us the chance to exhibit internationally, so we took a bold step and brought 100 cats with us. Their unique look caught everyone's eye, and an American buyer, who found them "fascinating," decided to stock them.

After that, we started participating in international exhibitions like "Maison & Objet" in France and "Ambiente" in Germany. We made a huge splash at Ambiente 2016, where we were featured in the "Trend Selection," which forecasts upcoming trends. From there, we were also chosen for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "The Wonder 500" project (which highlights some of Japan's best local products that are not yet well-known globally), and we started getting a lot more media attention. The world of kimekomi is expanding and becoming known internationally as "KIMEKOMI."

Domestically, we've also collaborated with a wide range of characters from magazines, food and snack brands, local mascots (yuru-chara), and even famous hotels in Tokyo to create unique kimekomi dolls. At the official shop inside PASONA NATUREVERSE at the much-anticipated Osaka-Kansai Expo, our "Black Jack Kimekomi Doll PASONA × ATOM & B・J" was also released.

The popularity of the maneki-neko seems to have opened up a whole new world of possibilities for Edo kimekomi, especially in terms of collaborations.

With kimekomi dolls, you can create all sorts of shapes just by changing the toso (a paste of paulownia sawdust) and the fabrics. The wide range of collaborations that started with the maneki-neko has made me appreciate the inherent appeal of kimekomi all over again.

We're even seeing opportunities emerge in fields completely unrelated to traditional crafts. For instance, we've engaged in community collaborations, like creating a custom maneki-neko with the Koshigaya Alphas, a team in Japan's professional men's basketball "B.LEAGUE."

This year, we also challenged ourselves to create a one-of-a-kind art piece: a skull decorated with tucked-in Nishijin-ori fabric and featuring brilliant teeth made from cast tin. I'm excited about the idea of collaborating with artisans all over Japan, incorporating different fabrics, jewelry, and other materials.

Could you share with us your vision for the future and what new challenges you'd like to take on?

I'm looking for ways to solve the issue of our aging artisan community by using new technology. Many veteran artisans don't take on apprentices, and if things continue this way, their skills will be lost forever. As part of our effort to tackle this, we're experimenting with 3D printing in our work, exploring if it could one day become a technology that compensates for a shortage of artisans. We're still in the early stages, though, figuring out challenges like the difficulty of creating the data and choosing the right filament materials.

It seems that embracing new technology is really expanding the potential of Edo kimekomi.

Looking back over the last decade, I feel we've developed a resilience to survive, not just by preserving tradition, but by actively embracing advanced technology and knowledge. It's tough to make it in today's world without flexible thinking and fresh ideas. Artisans can only create products that fit our modern times if they are open to new information.

Having knowledge is what's key. If you have a solid understanding, you can make an informed choice between using traditional techniques and adopting new technology. Moving forward, I want to keep expanding the possibilities of Edo kimekomi by creating surprising new works that fuse tradition with innovation.