Research
Why One Source Says Eleven—and Another Says Ten
Kokeshi classification is a research tool with a history, not a number to repeat without naming the source.
The current working index uses eleven
The Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry lists eleven regional groups: Tsuchiyu, Zaō Takayu, Yamagata, Hijiori, Naruko, Sakunami, Yajirō, Tōgatta, Kijiyama, Nanbu and Tsugaru. Aomori Prefecture also describes traditional kokeshi through an eleven-group frame.
Historic exhibitions may group the field differently
The Japanese American National Museum’s online exhibition describes ten classic styles. That difference is not something to hide or automatically correct: it shows that grouping practices depend on source, date, collecting history and the level at which branches are counted.
How this site handles the difference
The directory uses the current official eleven-group Tohoku index as its navigation frame. Every count is labelled as a reference frame, and individual pages preserve branch and cross-prefectural context instead of forcing every object into a rigid visual key.
What the number cannot do
A group count cannot authenticate an object, establish a maker or replace provenance. It helps organise research; it does not end it.
Evidence
Sources and further reading
- officialMiyagi Traditional Kokeshi and the Eleven Tohoku Groups
Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry
View source (opens in a new tab)Accessed 2026-08-31The official endpoint blocks some automated and overseas-network requests; its current indexed record was rechecked on 2026-09-06. - officialHirosaki Kokeshi and Wooden Toys
Aomori Prefectural Government · 2025-04-01
View source (opens in a new tab)Accessed 2026-08-31 - museumKokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy — Traditional
Japanese American National Museum
View source (opens in a new tab)Accessed 2026-08-31