Yamanaka Sanpei | 山中三平

Sanbe is his real name but he used pseudonym"Sanpei"²

1926-2012 Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

About👤

Originally a faculty member in engineering at Yamagata University, Yamanaka Sanpei’s creative path began with photography, a medium through which he captured the quiet poetry of rural life. His transition to sōsaku Kokeshi was not a departure, but a deepening of his visual storytelling. He infused his Kokeshi with the same sensitivity and environmental awareness that defined his photographic work.

Yamanaka’s Kokeshi are celebrated for their expressive faces, textured carvings, and symbolic ornamentation. He often employed soft watercolor rings in Rokuro-moyo style, evoking Buddhist themes like the rainbow as a metaphor for transcendence. His use of floral motifs and natural wood grain reflects a reverence for impermanence and seasonal beauty.

Yamanaka received over 20 major awards, including the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award in 1979. His accolades span decades and include honors from the Ministry of Education and multiple All Japan Kokeshi Contests1. His work was also featured in international exhibitions, including a touring show in the United States and one in West Germany.

In 1988, he published Village Poetry: Sanpei Yamanaka Photo Poetry Collection (山中三平写真詩集『ふるさとの詩』), a Japanese-language book that explores how the natural environment shaped his artistic motifs. His photographs capture seasonal transitions, quiet village life, and natural textures, all of which echo in his Kokeshi designs; such as Kuri no on'nanoko (Chestnut Girl), Seijaku (Silence), and Kantori uta (Country Poem), they all continue to resonate with collectors for their emotional depth and lyrical charm.

Awards🏅

1962 All Japan Kokeshi Competition; Yamagata City Mayor's Award
1965 All Japan Kokeshi Competition; Yonezawa City Mayor's Award
1967 All Japan Kokeshi Competition; Miyagi Prefecture Governor's Award
1974 Annual Award at the National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition.
1977 Annual Award at the National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition.
1978 National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition; Japan-China Art Exchange Award
1979 National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition.; Minister of Education Encouragement Award
1979 All Japan Kokeshi Competition; Minister of International Trade and Industry Award
1979 Prime Minister Award
1980 All Japan Kokeshi Contest Award
1983 All Japan Kokeshi Contest Award
1984 All Japan Kokeshi Contest Award
1986 All Japan Kokeshi Contest Award

Exhibitions | Memberships 🖼️

1972 Traveling exhibition in the United States.
1979 West Germany October Exhibition
Exhibited internationally, including in the U.S. and West Germany, as an ambassador of Japanese folk aesthetics
Featured in collector archives, poetic retrospectives, and exhibition catalogs
His photos were selected 9 times for the Nika Exhibition and obtained the year's prize for the Camera Manachi as a photographer.
He opened more than 10 individual exhibitions.
Member of Yonezawa Miyuki Association, Nika Photography Association and Nippon Kokeshi Artistic Handicraft Association.

Other📑

Sources

Yamanaka, Sanpei. Sato no Uta: Sanpei Yamanaka Photo Poetry Collection. Yōbisha, October 1988.
Yamanaka, N. (1965). Modern Kokeshi White Paper. Contemporary Kokeshi: The People and Their Works (T. Kano, Ed.; 1965th ed., pp. 1–139). Kiyoei Shobo.
Creative KOKESHI Artistic Handicraft Directory. Supervised by Daizo Nishide, directed by Kazuo Izumi, Nippon Kokeshi Artistic Handicraft Association, July 1983
Evans, M., & Wolf, R. (2005). Kokeshi : wooden treasures of Japan : a visual exploration. Vermillion.

Evans, M., & Wolf, R. (2015). Sosaku Kokeshi: a New Look at an Old Tradition. Vermillion Publishing.

Evans, M., & Wolf, R. (2022). Sosaku Kokeshi: Celebrating the Major Artists of the Creative Movement (1st ed., p. 206). BookBaby.
Creative KOKESHI Artistic Handicraft Directory. Supervised by Daizo Nishide, directed by Kazuo Izumi, Nippon Kokeshi Artistic Handicraft Association, July 1983
Taru. (2021, December 2). Yamanaka Sanepi - Kokeshi Japan. Kokeshi Japan. https://kokeshijapan.com/yamanaka-sanpei/
Shibukawa City & Shibukawa City Board of Education (2013). National Creative Kokeshi Art Exhibition in Shibukawa 20th anniversary commemorative magazine: Kokeshi Art, Lifelong Learning Division, Shibukawa City Board of Education.
Shibukawa City Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Division. (1998). Creative Kokeshi Doll Exhibition in Shibukawa City: 20th & 5th catalogue, 1994–1998 (Ishihara, Ed.). Shibukawa City & Shibukawa City Board of Education.

Yamanaka Sanpei | 山中 三平

Sanbe is his real name but he used pseudonym"Sanpei"2