柿沼 利光
かきぬま としみつ
Wood-inlaid doll
This traditional doll-making technique involves shaping the doll’s torso using materials like “toso” (a mixture of paulownia powder and paste), carving grooves into the surface, and then using a spatula to embed the edges of the costume fabric into these grooves—a process known as “kimekomi.” Rather than attaching fabric to the torso, it is inserted into and fixed within the grooves. This characteristic prevents the costume shape from distorting, resulting in a neat and refined finish.Kikemegome dolls are said to have originated in Kyoto during the mid-Edo period. Their origins are traced to the creation of dolls using fragments of willow boxes used in the rituals of Kamigamo Shrine. Characterized by their rounded, endearing shapes and compact forms where clothing fits snugly over the torso, they have been widely cherished as hina dolls and samurai dolls.
Today, alongside the traditional “painted eyes” technique where faces are drawn with brushes, expressions like “inserted glass eyes” are also employed. Diverse doll-making continues, utilizing these traditional techniques.
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