【Treasures of Fukuoka】No. 10 Story of a Hakata Doll

Yoichi Kojima (1886-1970) was a representative Hakata doll maker during the Taisho to Showa period. He was a very famous doll producer who truly deserved to be called a master.

He studied under Saburo Shirouzu when he was 14 years old to acquire a modern doll making technique. He was awarded a silver medal for his work called “Three apprentice geisha” in an international exposition held in France in 1925. Thus, the Hakata doll, which was a traditional local toy, started to be recognized as an artwork thanks to Yoichi’s achievements.

He was loved by many people for his bright and genuine personality. On the other hand, he had many problematic episodes concerning his wastefulness and prodigality. He was a model for the main character of Ashihei Hino’s novel titled Bazoku Geisha.

Yoichi made a Hakata doll named Hatsuawase in 1954. (Following anecdote was cited from “65 years of life spent with Hakata doll -History of Yoichi Kojima-” written by Taneo Harada.)

At that time, when Yoichi created this doll, he was devotedly in love with Hiroko, a Geisha girl from Hakata, and he even tried to run away with her. He spent all the money he earned through doll making for the sake of Hiroko and failed to concentrate on his work.

Yoichi, who was 23 years old then, was an inexperienced doll maker yet, and couldn’t afford to make a payment to release Hiroko from her owner.

Yoichi (23 years old)

Hiroko

It was when Yoichi was told by his master to make a doll for a competitive exhibition to be held in the Fukuoka City Hall. Yoichi decided to make a doll modeled after Hiroko. He took Hiroko to a room on the second floor of a Japanese style restaurant and dedicated himself to doll making for three days. The doll was named 初袷 because it wears stripe Kimono which has a back fabric. The kimono, which is typically worn in Winter is called “袷（Awase）”. He might have chosen this title because the way that the kimono’s outer fabric and inner fabric were sawn together, resembles the couple’s love affair.

Hatsuawase

Yoichi, after completing his masterpiece, hurried to the exhibition venue. Because he was hastily walking, he accidentally broke the doll’s hand by crashing it against a handrail of Nakajima Bridge. He immediately fixed it and brought it to the exhibition.

The doll looked magnificent and most of the judges voted it to be the first placer. However, one of the judges voted the doll to be second place. The judge was Yoichi’s master, Shirouzu. He discovered the trace of amendment in the doll’s hand and decided to give him the second place as a punishment. He wanted Yoichi to feel the consequence of becoming irrational because of a woman and neglected to give more effort in doll making.

Since then, Yoichi started to make dolls with all his might. Two years later, Yoichi and Hiroko got married thanks to the support from others.

“When I came to Hakata, I was by myself. But on my way home, I’m not alone. I’m taking my doll with me.”