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A short train ride outside the historical city of Kyoto lies the crammed studio of famed Kyoto doll maker Shisui Sekihara. Unlike other people in this traditional Kyoto trade Sekihara is a first generation doll maker. Usually Kyoto dolls, or Kyoningyo, are made by families who have been in the business for many generations. Although Sekihara creates traditional dolls, he is very much an exception, who rolled into the business through sheer luck and an unbelievably deep love for dolls.

Sekihara was born in Kobe in 1921. Even as a little boy he made dolls and was not at all interested in the toys that attracted the other boys in his neighborhood. However, he never expected it would one day become his trade. Both his parents saw no future in his hobby and encouraged him to be a banker. He did become a banker. But disease and war interfered and brought him repeatedly close to death. Convalescing, he picked up his old hobby. A man from Kyoto who happened to see his creations invited him to Kyoto. Here his fateful march towards kyoningyo was strengthened little by little as first a dream, later a fortune teller and later again a chance apprenticeship with the most esteemed doll maker in Japan, encouraged him to continue on his difficult path.

Sekihara's long career has taught him to create and design almost everything himself. He designs the tiny kimono's from scratch, makes the hair and has become famous for the fabulous body lines of his sensuous dolls. Many doll makers glue their kimono's on the body. Sekihara's dolls are actually dressed with many layers of the miniature kimono's. His dedication has brought him many awards and his dolls have been displayed all over the world.

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