About👤

A multi-award-winning artist, Murakami-san was born in Yamagata City. Although his family were renowned wood craftsmen, Kenichi pursued oil painting in the early 1940s as a member of the Ryokukō group. Around 1946, he began training in and creating sōsaku Kokeshi. His work quickly gained recognition, earning him numerous awards at Kokeshi exhibitions. Murakami-san operated several galleries throughout Yamagata Prefecture, including one at the prestigious Ginza Matsuzakaya department store.

Author Yamanaka Noboru noted that Murakami-san kept his workshop, located behind his home, immaculately clean, to the extent that visitors often mistook him for a germaphobe. He was known for his quiet, simple, and warm demeanor. Yet when it came to his craft, he was unwaveringly confident and deeply committed to his artistic vision.

Murakami’s process was meticulous and ritualistic: he began by sketching his concept, then carefully turned the wood, and finally painted the piece. He refused to cut corners, believing that each step was essential to the integrity of the final work. His finishing technique was so refined that he polished each doll to a lustrous perfection, comparable to ivory. He admired his creations so deeply that he often felt reluctant to part with them, considering it almost a shame to sell them.

This devotion to detail and artistic integrity earned him the reputation of a true perfectionist.

Awards🏅

• 1966 All Japan Kokeshi Contest Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President's Award
• 1966 National Kokeshi Doll Exhibition; Artists Association Chairman's Award
• 1966 National Kokeshi Doll Exhibition; Artists Association Chairman's Award
• 1966 National Kokeshi Doll Exhibition; Artists Association Chairman's Award
• 1965 National Kokeshi Doll Exhibition; Award of Excellence
• 1966 All Japan Kokeshi Contest; Chairman's Award
• 1968 All Japan Kokeshi Contest; Miyagi Prefecture Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman's Award
• 1962 National Kokeshi Doll Exhibition; Small and Medium Enterprises Agency Commissioner's Award
• 1971 National Kokeshi Exhibition; Cabinet Prime Minister Award
• 1971 Modern Kokeshi Academy Exhibition; Academy Award
• 1975 National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition; Minister of Education Encouragement Award Also exhibited at the West German and American exhibitions

Other📑

Sources:

1. Evans, M., & Wolf, R. (2005). Kokeshi: wooden treasures of Japan: a visual exploration. Vermillion.
2. Evans, M., & Wolf, R. (2015). Sōsaku Kokeshi: A New Look at an Old Tradition. Vermillion Publishing.
3. Evans, M., & Wolf, R. (2022). Sōsaku Kokeshi: Celebrating the Major Artists of the Creative Movement (1st ed., p. 206). BookBaby.
4. (2023, October 18). 村上 けん一 / Murakami Kenichi | 創作こけしの杜 Wonderful life with Kokeshi. Kokeshi-Sousaku.com. https://kokeshi-sousaku.com/murakami-kenichi/ Retrieved 06/21/2025
5. Yamanaka, N. (1965). Modern Kokeshi White Paper. Contemporary Kokeshi: The People and Their Works (T. Kano, Ed.; 1965 ed., pp. 1–139).

 

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