Chujiro Kobayashi born on February 18, 1932, as the second son of woodcarver Kobayashi Seizo of Muikamachi, Yamagata City. He trained in woodcarving under his father Seizo from junior high school, working on a foot-operated potter's wheel for three years from 1944, and on a powered potter's wheel from 1947. He had thoroughly studied his father Seizo's old works before starting production, so his first works were highly refined in terms of both form and painting. In April 1989, he moved from Minami Nibancho in the city to Hankyo. He opened a souvenir shop called "Ippoan." He passed away on November 1, 1999, at the age of 68.
