This sosaku kokeshi by Hajime Miyashita (宮下はじめ) beautifully portrays the beloved image of Oshin (おしん)—the resilient, hardworking girl from the iconic 1983 NHK drama Oshin, whose story of perseverance touched audiences across Japan and the world. The doll captures the humble strength and quiet determination associated with Oshin’s character, depicted here carrying a small child on her back.
The gentle face is rendered with Miyashita’s signature warmth: soft downcast eyes, a slight blush, and a tender expression that reflects Oshin’s enduring spirit and compassion. Her hair is styled in a traditional topknot and wrapped with a patterned headband, a familiar detail symbolizing the hardworking rural life Oshin represents.
Her kimono is decorated in earthy, muted tones overlaid with Miyashita’s distinctive white and red brushwork, evoking the look of handwoven sashiko or rustic kasuri textiles—reinforcing the piece’s connection to traditional Japanese rural culture. The vertical pink stripes on the lower section add a gentle contrast, grounding the doll with a sense of simplicity and everyday beauty.
On her back rests the small child, painted with delicate features, peeking softly from the cloth wrap. This detail echoes one of the most memorable and tender aspects of Oshin’s story: the image of a young girl caring for others even while enduring hardship herself.
Hajime Miyashita’s kokeshi are cherished for their human warmth, narrative depth, and gentle humor, and this particular work stands as a heartfelt homage to Oshin’s enduring symbolism—resilience, humility, kindness, and the quiet strength of women and children in rural Japan.
Size: 8 x 8 x 17.5cm
