Rare 1950s Vintage Sōsaku Kokeshi – "Ohara Shōsuke" by Kikuchi Shukō (12cm)

Add a captivating piece of Japanese folklore to your collection with this vintage 1950s Sōsaku (Creative) Kokeshi doll depicting the legendary folk figure Ohara Shōsuke. Crafted by celebrated artist Kikuchi Shukō, this piece stands at 12cm tall and features a "bobble-style" head mechanism that allows the doll's head to move back and forth—a playful nod to the character's famed sake-loving nature.

Originating from Aizu-Wakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, Ohara Shōsuke is immortalized in song and folklore as a generous, warm-hearted figure known for his love of sake and his inability to turn away anyone in need. His tale carries a famous moral lesson warning against overindulgence, oversleeping, and spending too much time lounging in morning baths (Asanega, asazake, asayu).

This finely crafted wooden doll features detailed striped haori and hakama robes with delicate red and green accents. His head is wrapped in a traditional blue polka-dotted tenugui cloth, and he carries his signature sake jug painted with calligraphy. The reverse is signed by the artist, and the base features the original 1954 award-winning stamp.

Product Details:

• Title: Ohara Shōsuke

• Artist: Kikuchi Shukō (菊池秋光)

• Era: 1950s 

• Type: Creative Kokeshi (Sōsaku) / Bobblehead

• Height: 12 cm (~4.7 inches)

• Material: Lathe-turned natural wood, hand-painted pigments, tied cord accessory

• Condition: Excellent vintage condition. Unrestored, completely intact, and retains its original craftsmanship and vibrant paint.