This Togatta kokeshi by Satō Yasuo is an impressive 36 cm piece that carries both visual elegance and a sense of heritage. The doll’s form is tall and graceful, with a gently tapering neck and a cylindrical body decorated in bold red floral motifs, accompanied by subtle green foliage. The face is quietly expressive: refined eyes, a small, delicate mouth, and artful hair framing—all painted with confident, controlled brushwork. The natural wood grain remains visible, giving warmth and texture to the figure, and the overall balance of detail and simplicity gives the piece a poetic presence.
What is especially compelling is imagining this doll in light of Yasuo’s personal journey. Born into a family of woodworkers, he was part of a lineage deeply connected to the craft. His father studied under recognized Togatta artisans, and his mother descended from a Togatta family. From early childhood, Yasuo would have been surrounded by woodturning, carved toys, and kokeshi forms, observing tools, patterns, and techniques firsthand. His upbringing meant that his eventual work was not merely an adoption of style, but a continuation of memory and craft passed through generations.
