Overview of Edo Kimekomi Dolls

Tsukada Koubou

The company has been in business for seven generations since its founding in 1841 by the founder, Nakagawa Shunzan. Currently, the sixth generation, Eishun, and the seventh generation, Masahiro, are in charge of making dolls. Both are nationally recognized traditional craftsmen.

Overview of Edo Kimekomi Dolls

Kimekomi dolls, which were developed in Kyoto, were introduced to Edo, and it is said that many Kyoto doll makers had already traveled to Edo during the Shotoku era (1711-15). As Edo developed as a cultural center, Kimekomi dolls also changed to the Edo style.
There are two types of Kimekomi dolls in Edo: ① the Okamoto Tamamizu doll lineage and ② the Nagawa Shunzan doll lineage. The first Kobayashi Tetsunosuke, type ①, founded the company at the end of the Edo period by inviting craftsmen from Kyoto, and he himself left behind works as a Kimekomi doll maker.

The first Nagawa Shunzan (②) was 28 years old in 1841 when he became independent from the doll maker Seyama Kinzo of Sugacho, Asakusa, and established his own business in Honjo Ryogoku. Since then, the skills and techniques have been passed down by apprentices from both schools.
The Kimekomi dolls of Iwatsuki City are descended from the Nakawa doll school.

Edo Kimekomi dolls are made by carving grooves into the costume of a wooden doll (now made of paulownia wood) and filling the costume with cloth using glue.The head is made of Touso or bisque, while the Touso and some parts of the limbs are made of paulownia wood.

Technique

Paulownia wood is used for the Touso(A mixture of paulownia sawdust and raw wheat gluten paste), white cloud clay for the unglazed head, silk and cotton fabrics for the dressing, and silk thread for the hair.

<Making the base>

Mixing and kneading the paulownia wood powder with raw wheat gluten paste, the base for the head, body, arms and legs is made and dried in a drying room. Some heads are unglazed.
For paulownia wood heads, the base coat is applied, then the undercoat is applied, and the cut-out is followed by five or more coats of top coat.

＜Kimekomi＞

To put on the garment, glue is applied to the grooves, and then the seams are made using an awl or the wood is inlaid with overlapping stitches. In this case, cold plum powder is used as the glue.

＜Face drawing＞

Use a face brush to draw eyes, eyebrows, and lipstick.

＜Hair Blowing＞

After applying the appropriate amount of thin silk thread, the hair is blown. In this case, the hairstyle is tied up, parted, and bald.

◇The above is from the "Dictionary of Traditional Crafts Techniques" published by Graphic-sha Publishing.◇

 

The production process of Edo Kimekomi dolls

Overall production process

①Prototype creation

The prototype of the doll is made from clay. The prototype is placed in a wooden frame and sulfur or other liquid is poured in to take the shape of the doll.
This mold is called a "kama," and two kama are made to make the front and back halves of the prototype.

②Filling

The body is made by mixing paulownia powder with shofu paste and stuffing it into the kiln. Once the front and back kilns are stuffed with paulownia paste, the front and back are joined together to make one piece.

③Pull out

Gently tap the pressed mold from above to release the upper half of the knob. Before removing the body from the lower mold, carefully remove any excess with a bamboo spatula. Then, turn the lower mold sideways to remove the body.

④Wood preparation

After it has thoroughly dried, any irregularities or cracks that appear on the body are filled in with Touso using a bamboo spatula, or neatly repaired with a file, resulting in a perfect body.

⑤Wood carving

Once the whitewash has dried, grooves are made (sujibori) for the cloth to be inserted into the wood. This groove carving will affect the quality of the finished doll, so it is carefully carved with a carving knife to a consistent width and depth.

⑥Kimekomi

Put glue into the grooves and then use an awl or wood grain spatula to firmly press the fabric, cut to fit the pattern, into the wood.

⑦Face drawing

Menso refers to the shape of a doll's face, and drawing this shape is called menso-gaki. It is an important task that determines the quality of the doll.

⑧Finishing

Finally, the hair is brushed and the doll is inspected carefully to check for any flaws in the wood grain inlay, and then the finishing touches are made.