This unique omiyage kokeshi was created by Yasuo Ito (伊藤保夫), a lesser-known yet historically documented artisan from the Naruko region, one of the birthplaces of traditional kokeshi. This small but expressive figure features a painted face peeking out from a wrapped straw coat and hat, resembling a bundled child or traveler protected from the cold.
Yasuo Ito began his career in woodcarving in 1960, apprenticing under Takahashi Morio, a renowned craftsman of the Takakan lineage. He worked as a kokeshi maker for Takakan and later moved to Odawara around 1964. His craftsmanship stayed true to the Takakan tradition—characterized by precise linework and emotive expressions—even during his brief period of production in the late 1950s to early 1960s.
Ito is recognized in kokeshi reference books as a maker of note, though his later life and work remain largely a mystery. This rare piece not only reflects his mentor’s aesthetic but also carries the warm, nostalgic charm of Japan’s postwar folk art movement. A true collectible for those interested in regional craftsmanship and the forgotten hands behind traditional kokeshi.
