These handmade dolls originated a couple hundred years ago during the Edo period in the northeast part of Japan. They were first made and sold to tourists visiting the hot springs. Traditional dolls are made of wood and are very simple in shape. Rather than having articulated limbs, Kokeshi have arms that are always painted on. While the oldest dolls are made of plain wood, modern ones like these, called “creative Kokeshi,” are typically very colorful: