Vending machines and traditional wooden kokeshi dolls are both icons of Japanese culture, and a hot spring resort in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture has combined the two. The novelty of being ...

The giant kokeshi doll was created by artistic duo ... “It is a great idea to disseminate Japanese traditional culture in a form like this,” she said.

Kokeshi dolls are pocket-sized, wooden figurines characterized by their lack of arms and legs. First gaining popularity following World War II, the dolls continue to serve as a memento of Japanese ...