This vintage Tsugaru Kokeshi (津軽系こけし) was handcrafted by Fumio Muramoto (村元文雄, 1931–1999), an accomplished traditional kokeshi artisan from Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture.
Fumio Muramoto was born on June 12, 1931, in Rokugo Village, Minamitsugaru District, an area that later became part of Kuroishi City. After leaving school, he initially worked in agriculture and at a sawmill.
His path toward kokeshi making began unexpectedly in 1956, when he visited Nurukawa Onsen while recovering from pleurisy. There he saw the craftsman Hidetarō Mori making kokeshi and became determined to learn the craft himself. In April 1957, at the age of 26, he was accepted as an apprentice by Senzō Mori. His apprenticeship began from the fundamentals: for his first two years, he was principally responsible for selecting and preparing wood.
Muramoto became independent in 1960, establishing his own workshop near Kuroishi Station. His work evolved considerably throughout his career. His earlier dolls were often straight-bodied designs decorated with double chrysanthemum motifs, while from the mid-1970s onward he experimented increasingly with waisted forms, colorful lathe lines and floral motifs such as peonies and camellias. He continued exploring both his own designs and the heritage of his teachers throughout his later career.
