Kokeshi dolls are handcrafted wooden Japanese Kokeshi Japanese Theme toys initially enjoyed by children of peasant farmers in the Tohiku region of northern Japan.
Traditional Kokeshi dolls have oversized heads, cylindrical bodies with no arms or legs. Creative Kokeshi dolls have a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Kokeshi dolls generally appear female in traditional kimono dress.
A Sayonara doll is popular variation of the Japanese Kokeshi doll with a cylindrical body. A scroll of traditional Washi paper wraps around the Sayonara doll to form a kimono.
Fun, educational crafts for children and adults. The purpose of "Paper Kokeshi Dolls for Young Children" is to provide an overview of Japanese Kokeshi doll art and culture in the hopes of piquing the interests of young children to learn more about Japanese wood doll arts, crafts and culture. Kokeshi style doll designs in this web site are whimsical, creative and not genuine or authentic Japanese artworks and are intended only for educational and entertainment purposes. Refer to the Japanese Kokeshi Doll resources page for more information.
Children can print and color these paper kokeshi and sayonara doll patterns and share them with their family and friends. These Kokeshi doll designs are also useful for embroidery, needle point, scroll saw and other personal and not-for-profit craft activities.
