Toshio Obata born on April 1, 1932, as the eldest son of woodworker Obata Fukumatsu and Chiyo in Okitama-cho, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. Obata Hatsuko is his elder sister. In 1950, at the age of 18, he began training in woodwork under his father Fukumatsu, and began making wooden products to order.
He was introduced as a creator in the 1958 edition of the Kokeshi Guide, along with photos of the dolls. Around 1960, he put his all into making kokeshi dolls. His father Fukumatsu passed away in 1968, but the demand for his main business of wooden products increased, and he had almost no spare time to make kokeshi dolls. In 1976, he lost his wife Natsuko. He passed away on January 21, 2024, due to a worsening influenza. He passed away at age 93.
