We'll be using either Japan Post or DHL to ship your item. It will be shipped from Japan, so it will take some time to arrive. Please note that the prices of the items listed do not include taxes like duties. There may be scratches and dirt caused by age. If an item exceeds the specified size or weight, it may be shipped in multiple packages. ----- He was born on January 2, 1937, in Atsumi Onsen, Atsumi Town, Yamagata Prefecture, as the eldest son of woodworker Tsunekichi Abe. He began practicing woodturning under his father while in junior high school and started making a small number of kokeshi dolls around 1960. After a few years he stopped and moved to Tokyo, where he worked as a truck driver. In March 1964 he married Chiyose Kenmochi of Atsumi and settled there, resuming kokeshi production. After his father’s death in 1991, he continued the distinctive Atsumi-style kokeshi tradition passed down since his grandfather Tsunematsu. In addition to kokeshi, he also produced many wooden toys that became quite popular. In 2014 he gave a live demonstration and appeared in a talk show at the National Kokeshi Festival in Naruko, speaking about his passion for making wooden toys and the challenges of fulfilling collectors’ requests. He also taught kokeshi-making to his nephew, Takashi Tsuda. Set of 2 21-25cm Total 764g (H1578)