Watch the Transfixing Creation of a Doll From a Spinning Block of Wood

Kokeshi dolls are handmade wooden dolls that originated in Northern Japan. Originally created for tourists visiting the hot springs, they are made up of a body, head, and thin lines of paint, usually in red and black. The dolls are beautifully simple, featuring no limbs or unusual colors. Although there are many different types of these toys, the most dominant is the Naruko style, seen in the video above.

This tetotetote-produced video features Yasuo Okazaki, an artist whose craft has been passed down from his father. The artist carves the doll from spinning blocks of wood in a process not unlike pottery. There's something extremely relaxing and satisfying about watching the doll being formed right in front of your eyes.