After enduring 16 years of submitting entries to competitions without winning any awards, and then overcoming the consecutive deaths of his grandfather and father, becoming the sole kokeshi craftsman in Sakunami, he continues to dedicate himself to kokeshi making.
Hiraga, who also creates colorful and diverse kokeshi, believes that "tradition is not something old, but something that is updated." What does he consider to be "preserving tradition"?
Teruyuki Hiraga
Born in Miyagi Prefecture in 1972. He inherited the family business, which has been passed down from his grandfather and father, and has been seriously engaged in the production of Sakunami kokeshi since graduating from high school. In 2014, he received the Prime Minister's Award, the highest award at the All Japan Kokeshi Contest, making him one of the leading master craftsmen in the contemporary kokeshi world. He is also the only kokeshi craftsman in Sakunami.
(※Article content is based on information at the time of the interview)
#3 The 16 years without awards
The days when I felt disheartened, and the helping hand of artisans from other schools
── Did you ever feel like giving up during your long career?
Yes, I submitted entries to the All Japan Kokeshi Contest for 16 years straight and never won an award.
I felt disheartened, thinking, "Why am I the only one who doesn't win?" But my parents told me that if I didn't submit, I wouldn't win, so I kept submitting.
When I finally won for the first time, I was truly happy.
── 16 years is a long time. Why didn't you give up?
My seniors from other schools in the same industry helped me. Artisans from Shiraishi and Tōgatta taught me carefully, even how to make tools, telling me things like, "It's better to carve roughly like this."
They were essentially rivals competing for customers, but they let me stay at their homes and even introduced me to lumber suppliers. I'm truly grateful.
── Why did rivals in the same industry go that far?
I think they took me under their wing because I was the only successor in Sakunami. It was the humanity of my seniors, wanting to nurture the younger generation. So I'm truly grateful to this day.
── How did you feel when you received your first award?
I was surprised when I suddenly got a call. The call came from the contest organizer in Shiroishi City, and I was genuinely happy because I had never won anything before.
#4 The weight I only understood once I was alone
After losing his grandfather and father one after another, he became the only kokeshi craftsman in Sakunami.
── You are the 8th generation of Sakunami Kokeshi, and the 4th generation of the Hiraga family. In such a long history, what events have left a particular impression on you?
Well, the biggest thing was when my father suddenly collapsed and my grandfather also passed away, leaving me alone.
It was quite a shock to suddenly have to do everything by myself when there were three of us. My uncle next door and the kokeshi craftsman in front of the station, they all passed away one after another.
I was worried if I could manage, and there were many things I couldn't bring myself to ask, so I ended up not learning them.
── Considering what you just mentioned, have there been any changes since you took over?
It was really tough to maintain the same prices as when there were three of us, so gradually I had to raise them, but those few years were truly difficult.
Compared to when three of us produced a large quantity, my income simply became one-third. Production volume decreased, and the number of days I could attend exhibitions also decreased. It felt like I couldn't make a living.
── What kept you going even in such a situation?
Thankfully, the ryokan and hotels across the street would tell their guests, "There's a kokeshi shop, please go and see it," and then they would buy from me.
I managed to get by with that kind of support.
── Is there any technique from your predecessors that you feel you can't imitate?
I just can't match my grandfather's speed. He would effortlessly make large kokeshi, about 60cm long. I, on the other hand, would nervously make them, getting injured in the process.
There were times when the three of us would line up at the lathe and compete to see who could carve faster, but I could never beat my grandfather. Craftsmen from the old days were really fast.
── How do you feel about being the only craftsman in Sakunami now?
It's lonely, really. There are other craftsmen from different schools nearby, but being alone in Sakunami is a bit lonely.
If there were someone else, there would be more competition, but now it's like a battle with myself. Not having a rival, or someone to mutually improve with, is difficult in terms of motivation.
#5 Tradition is something that gets updated.
New kokeshi, traditional kokeshi. Hiraga's thoughts on the future of Sakunami kokeshi
── How do you approach preserving tradition, Mr. Hiraga?
Traditional crafts have been selling less and less, so I've been making colorful kokeshi and seasonal kokeshi.
Collectors sometimes told me that "this kind of color scheme isn't traditional," but my idea is that if I'm making traditional kokeshi properly, then I can just make these new ones separately.
I want to put new things out front to draw people in, and then let them know that "actually, there's also something called traditional kokeshi."
── So, you have a desire to create traditional kokeshi when you have the time.
That's right. I sometimes end up making only what sells due to lack of time, but deep down, I still feel the need to preserve tradition.
I once read an article that said, "Tradition is not something old, but something that is updated." I think that's true.
I'm not sure which of my kokeshi are considered traditional, but I create new ones while also drawing from old ones and making my own modifications. That's my current approach.
── Do you have any memorable interactions with customers?
I make "birth kokeshi." They're made to the height of a newborn, and once, a customer who ordered one came back with a photo of their grown-up child.
When they showed me how much the child had grown, it made me happy. I've also had orders for grandchildren, and grandparents have shown me photos of their grandchildren with the kokeshi.
It makes me think, "Ah, they're growing up well," and "I'm glad I made it." The happiest thing is when people say, "It's cute," or "It's a nice kokeshi."
── What would you say to someone who doesn't yet know the charm of kokeshi?
I want kokeshi to be something that brings a sense of healing when people see them. Kokeshi that fit into everyday life, that's what I like.
Something that can naturally enter people's lives, like the birth kokeshi made to a child's height. I think it would be really interesting if they could be revived as a modern version of children's toys.
── Finally, what does kokeshi mean to you, Mr. Hiraga?
It's something I'll be involved with my whole life. Right now, I'm working with the hope of doing it with my child.
If I could get another apprentice, I'd like to work with them, and I'm also curious to see what young people would create with kokeshi. I'm doing it this way, but how would others make them?
I think something completely different could be created if they were given free rein. Including that potential, I believe there's still a lot of interesting things left in kokeshi.
