Naitō Heizō | 内藤兵蔵

Year and place of birth unavailable

About 👤

Little is known about the artisan Naitō Heizō (内藤兵蔵), whose work reveals a quiet reverence for the female, Heian-era, Japanese-waka poet, Ono no Komachi (小野小町). His Kokeshi often bear a signature and reference to Innai, a district of Yuzawa City in Akita Prefecture, where Komachi is believed by many to have been born.

The dolls are distinguished by their elegant headwear—a translucent fabric veil draped over a vivid red hat, tied with strings adorned with tiny bells. Delicate calligraphy graces the body, typically inscribing Komachi’s famed waka:

花の色は　移りにけりな　いたづらに
我が身世にふる　ながめせしまに

(The colors of the flowers have faded in vain, while I spent my days in idle longing as the rains fell.)

This verse, paired with floral motifs, evokes themes of impermanence and introspection, echoing Komachi’s poetic legacy and deepening the emotional resonance of Heizō-sans work.

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Sources

Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2004, February 18). 日本の平安時代の歌人. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/小野小町
Naitō Heizō. (May 14,2023). Journey Post [Kokeshi Village] Facebook. Retrieved July 15, 2025 from https://www.facebook.com/groups/Kokeshi.Village/posts/3428275847412094/