Toshio Sekiguchi – Refined Linework and Balance

Toshio Sekiguchi (関口俊夫, born 1947, Gunma Prefecture) is a Japanese Sōsaku (creative) Kokeshi artist, admired for his balanced forms and carefully controlled brushwork.
Despite the shared surname, he is not related to the family of Sansaku and Tōa Sekiguchi.

His work is defined by a strong sense of proportion, rhythm, and refinement, with expression always guided by harmony and formal clarity.

He has received several major awards, including:

• Craft Council Award (1990)

• Tokyo Shimbun Prize (1992)

• Monbusho Encouragement Prize (1993) for the work Shōin

Stylistic characteristics

• Slender to rounded silhouettes with calm, harmonious proportions

• Serene faces with gentle smiles or closed eyes

• Kimono decoration in warm wood tones, featuring floral or abstract motifs

• Signature: 関口俊夫, usually brush-signed on the base

His Kokeshi are appreciated for their quiet elegance, technical precision, and timeless presence.