This listing is for a vintage Japanese kokeshi doll.  These are traditional wooden dolls dating back to the late Edo period (early 1800s). Originally made as toys and souvenirs for visitors, they symbolize protection and good luck but have also become valued souvenirs representing visited temples and villages. 

This petite vintage kokeshi stands on a simple red wooden base and features a charming teardrop-shaped body. She wears a bright red kimono painted with playful white hashtags and a yellow obi. Her rounded face has a warm, cheerful expression, framed by black hair topped with a dotted red accent. 

The doll retains the wabi-sabi imperfections of hand carving and hand painting, giving it an authentic mingei (folkcraft) character.

1.25" x 3" x 1" - Small Size

Kokeshi are often a simple cylindrical body, a round head that sometimes bobbles and a painted face or carved patterns with a serene expression. There are two styles - traditional (dento) and creative (shingata) which emerged after WWII to show more freedom in design, color, and themes. Click here to learn more about this wonderful Japanese folk art.