Vintage Japanese Kokeshi Shikishi by Tadashi Hiraga – Sakunami

This vintage Japanese shikishi (色紙) was painted by Tadashi Hiraga (平賀忠), a traditional Kokeshi craftsman from Sakunami in Miyagi Prefecture.

At the centre of the shikishi is a stylised Kokeshi with a delicate, understated expression. Its body is formed by expressive brushstrokes and floral motifs in red, black and blue-green, giving the composition a simple yet distinctive graphic character.

The calligraphic inscription on the left reads:

作並 平賀忠
Sakunami – Hiraga Tadashi

Hiraga Tadashi belonged to the Sakunami-kei (作並系) tradition of traditional Kokeshi making. His work forms part of a longer family tradition of Kokeshi craftsmen from this region. Shikishi such as this offered Kokeshi makers another way to preserve their characteristic forms and decoration: not in turned wood, but directly through brushwork on paper.

Shikishi by Hiraga Tadashi are also documented in Japanese Kokeshi collections and auctions, where they are specifically described as 作並系 平賀忠 色紙 – Sakunami-kei, Hiraga Tadashi, shikishi.

A distinctive collector's piece preserving the visual language of a traditional Kokeshi craftsman in another medium.

Dimensions: 24 × 27 cm

Want to learn more about shikishi, their history and their special connection to Kokeshi makers? Explore the Tamashii Guide to Shikishi.

Every vintage piece in our collection has a story and carries traces of its past. We kindly ask you to look carefully at the photos for an honest impression of its condition and any signs of use.