Watanabe Yuji 渡辺雄二 (°1951-)



  Watanabe Yuji 渡辺雄二 is part of one of Japan’s most respected kokeshi artisan families. Born in 1951, he begins creating kokeshi dolls in 1970 and develops into one of the leading figures of contemporary creative kokeshi. He is the son of the celebrated kokeshi master Masao Watanabe and the father of artist Kunihiko Watanabe, continuing a remarkable artistic lineage. Throughout his long and distinguished career, he has received numerous prestigious awards. In 2026, as the crowning achievement of his career, he received the highly esteemed Prime Minister Award, the most important distinction in the world of kokeshi craftsmanship.

His kokeshi are widely collected internationally and are recognized within the current generation of kokeshi masters.

 

 

Available Kokeshi Art by Yuji Watanabe: