noun
kokeshi doll; limbless wooden doll
A traditional Japanese wooden doll with a simple trunk and a round head, lacking arms and legs. Often associated with the Tohoku region.
東北地方のお土産にこけしを買った。
I bought a kokeshi doll as a souvenir from the Tohoku region.
このこけしは手作りで、一つ一つ表情が違う。
These kokeshi dolls are handmade, and each one has a different facial expression.
Rarely used ateji kanji form.
The origin of the word 'kokeshi' is uncertain. It may derive from a combination of 'ko' (small) and 'keshi' (poppy), or from a dialectal term. The dolls themselves originated in the Tohoku region during the Edo period.