This sōsaku kokeshi by Kunio Miyagawa, a Yamagata-born artist celebrated for his warm, painterly approach, captures both innocence and dramatic scenery in a single, beautifully balanced work.
The doll features Miyagawa’s signature rounded bobbed hairstyle carved with soft vertical lines that enhance the natural sheen of the wood. A bright red ribbon rests atop her head, adding a playful contrast that immediately draws the eye. Her face is delicately rendered with slender closed eyes and a tiny red mouth—an expression of serene contentment typical of Miyagawa’s gentle, childlike aesthetic.
What truly distinguishes this piece is the striking landscape painted across the body, dominated by a vivid depiction of Mount Fuji at dusk. The mountain glows in brilliant vermilion and deep orange, transitioning into smokier shades of indigo and charcoal toward the base. These fiery hues evoke the dramatic light of sunset, a moment when the sacred mountain appears almost otherworldly.
The accompanying handwritten inscription, “富士の山” (Fuji no Yama), affirms the theme and adds a poetic, nostalgic touch, grounding the work in classic Japanese cultural imagery. The peaceful figure, combined with the intense natural beauty of the scene, creates a wonderful harmony—an interplay between human stillness and nature’s majesty.
Kunio Miyagawa is known for blending traditional kokeshi charm with painterly storytelling, and this piece exemplifies that fusion. It feels both modern and timeless, a small work of art that celebrates Japan’s most iconic landscape through the gentle presence of a kokeshi girl quietly watching over her fiery Fuji.
Size: 7 x 7 x 19.5cm
