Any one of the three sets of paired Kokeshi from Japan in the Miscellany section of The Collection (Mis2, 3 and 4) could serve as a logo for the theme of our website, straw sandals and human migration!   Kokeshi are Japanese dolls handmade from wood in a characteristic shape.  Carvers use a variety of woods including cherry for darkness, dogwood for soft qualities and Japanese maple usually seasoned for several years.  There are no limbs, just a simple trunk with an enlarged head with several lines painted on for facial features.  The story goes that these dolls originated in northeast Japan during the middle Edo period (1600-1868) and were produced for sale to visitors to the hot springs.  In the pieces shown below, a pair of Kokeshi have been placed on straw sandals (Waraji) to represent the spirit of travel.  They are based on an ancient Japanese saying that traveling together with a friend or partner increases the pleasure of the travel experience.

photo by Larry Hightower