A fateful encounter with kokeshi – Tóth-Vásárhelyi Réka about the making of Japanese wooden dolls

A fateful encounter with kokeshi –  Tóth-Vásárhelyi Réka about the making of Japanese wooden dolls 

It is no exaggeration to say that dolls are essential cultural elements across the world, and Japan is one of the countries with the longest history of dolls. But what exactly is the role of dolls in their culture? What beliefs are attached to them in Japan? And how does a young Hungarian woman become a recognized kokeshi-maker in the Land of the Rising Sun? In this video talk, Réka TÓTH-VÁSÁRHELYI guides the viewers into the world of Japanese wooden doll culture, while telling about her encounter with Japanese culture and how she became a kokeshi artist. Stay tuned till the end so in the second part of the video you can get a glimpse into how her dolls are being made, featuing a short video on wood-turning. Watch this film to discover a segment of Japanese culture, where both traditions and new creative tendencies play an important role.

The video is available with English subtitles!

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