Artisan | Woodturner: Miyakawa Kunio | 宮川邦夫

About👤

Year of Birth: 1933

Location: Maebashi City, Gunma, Prefecture

Master:

Apprentice: Miyakawa Yuichi (son)

Workshop: Miyagawa Kokeshi Workshop (宮川こけし製作所)

Kokeshi Style: Sōsaku | 創作こけし

🧐 Note on Name Signature Nuance:
To clear up any confusion between the generations and the signatures: Kunio Miyagawa (宮川邦夫, b. 1933) is the pioneering father, and Yuichi Miyagawa (宮川雄一) is his son and successor who runs the Miyagawa Kokeshi Workshop (宮川こけし製作所) at the foot of Mt. Akagi.

Kunio Miyakawa is a celebrated kokeshi doll artist known for his creative and innovative kokeshi. He began creating kokeshi dolls around 1950s and is noted for winning the prestigious Prime Minister's Award twice. His kokeshi are characterized by their simple yet elegant designs, a hallmark of the traditional Japanese wooden doll art form.

Awards🏅

1973 Prize of the Asahi Press.

1974 Prize of the Yomiuri Press.

1976 Prize of the Minister of International Trade and Industry

1978; Prize of the General Director of Small and Medium Enterprise Agency

1980 Major Awards All Groups

1990 National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition; Prime Ministers Award for "AiAi"

Exhibitions | Memberships 🖼️

Member of Nippon KOKESHI Artistic Handicraft Association

Other📑

Community gallery: Link

Soulportals gallery: Link

Known signatures: Link

Sources📰

National Creative Kokeshi Art Exhibition in Shibukawa Art Books 1994-1998