Aomori: Bring in new year with a roar

A set of tiger kokeshi wooden dolls is seen with artisan Masafumi Abo carving more in the background at the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan museum in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture, in December. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

KUROISHI, Aomori -- Artisan Masafumi Abo works day after day to carve kokeshi wooden dolls of this year's Zodiac sign, the tiger.

"I really hope this can be a good year in which we can beat the coronavirus pandemic," said Abo, 38, who makes Tsugaru kei kokeshi at the Tsugaru Kokeshi Kan museum in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture.