This sosaku kokeshi by Yuji Kawase (川瀬祐志) embodies the gentle warmth and soft aesthetics that define his Showa-era craftsmanship. The doll features a rounded, childlike head with Kawase’s signature minimalist expression, delicate closed eyes, a tiny red mouth, and finely brushed bangs that frame the face with quiet innocence. The natural wood grain is left visible, enhancing the feeling of warmth and honesty in the material.
The body is decorated with a vibrant cluster of large hand-painted flowers, rendered in deep reds, yellows, and greens. Kawase often used floral motifs to symbolize seasonal beauty, but this bolder, fuller composition sets this particular piece apart, giving it an expressive liveliness while still maintaining the simplicity of form typical of his work.
The silhouette is soft and rounded, with smooth curves and a balanced weightiness, reflecting Kawase’s background in traditional woodworking from Gunma Prefecture. Despite the simplicity of the carving, the figure carries a distinctly tender personality, typical of the understated charm found in Kawase’s dolls from the 1960s–1980s.
Yuji Kawase is a postwar Sosaku/Shingata kokeshi artist from Gunma Prefecture, a region well known for both traditional and creative kokeshi production. Born in 1938, Kawase belongs to the second generation of artisans who bridged the gap between classic kokeshi-making and the rising popularity of more contemporary, design-oriented dolls in the 1960s–1980s.
Size: 8 x 8 x 16cm
