Large vintage Japanese kokeshi – Naruko chrysanthemum style – signed Okazaki Seishi (岡崎斉司) – 37 cm

📐 Specifications:

• Origin: Japan, Naruko Onsen, sourced in Fukuoka Prefecture.
• Period: Shōwa era (c. 1970–1990)
• Style: Naruko-kei (鳴子系)
• Artist: Okazaki Seishi (岡崎斉司, 1926–2002)
• Material: Turned wood, traditional paint
• Height: 37 cm
• Signature: Signed on the base: 鳴子 岡崎斉司
• Condition: Very good vintage condition, no chips or other damage, paint very well preserved, a few small age-related spots on the wood (see photos).

The Artist: Okazaki Seishi (岡崎斉司 1926–2002)

Okazaki Seishi was a kokeshi master from Naruko Yumoto, the eldest son of the craftsman Hitoshi Okazaki. Trained in the family workshop from a very young age, he learned wood carving and kokeshi painting as a child. By the late 1930s, he was creating his own pieces, praised for the freshness of his lines and the precision of his forms.

After the war, he became one of the major representatives of the new Naruko generation and a member of the "Five Young Artists" group. Deeply involved in passing on his craft, he trained several disciples and presided over the Bunnaruko cooperative from 1965 to 1970. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 77.

🌸 Details:

This kokeshi perfectly illustrates the Naruko style: a slender body, a neck marked by turned lines, a calm face with fine features, hitoemabuta (一重瞼, single eyelid) eyes, and a painted hairstyle framed by black locks.
At the center of the body is a hand-painted hishigiku (菱菊) pattern—literally "diamond chrysanthemum"—an iconic motif of the Okazaki workshop and a symbol of longevity in Japan.

🦝 We love:

A beautiful traditional kokeshi in a pure Naruko style, by a renowned master. Its 37cm size is quite imposing! And of course, we love the head that squeaks when turned, typical of Naruko dolls!

Want to dive deeper into the world of traditional Japanese dolls?
→ Discover all our handcrafted kokeshi in our KOGEDO collection