History

The Art, Passion, and Legacy of KENSHIN

Febuary,1997 / The Founding of KENSHIN Co.,Ltd. & “ART OF WAR®”

Established the art brand, ART OF WAR™, a name that takes its inspiration from the title of the classic Chinese treatise, Art of War by Sun Tzu.
ART OF WAR™ is registered as a trademark in Japan, the EU, USA, China, Korea, and other countries.

The World’s First High-End IP Statue Manufacture
Pioneered the industry as the world’s first manufacturer to plan, produce, and sell high-value, pre-painted IP statues. Delving into masterpieces for major content leaders including Hakusensha, Tsuburaya Productions, Time Warner, and Capcom.

TA Prestigious Showroom Space
Reflecting our high-end vision, our flagship showroom was designed by a first-class architect renowned for luxury jewelry boutiques and premium commercial spaces.

 

Proprietary Antique Collection — Actively sourcing and collecting rare, authentic historical artifacts.

Representing the creative beauty of the formative arts of the Sengoku Period

We collaborated with the late Mr. Hiromichi Miura, an advisor to The Association for the Research and Preservation of Japanese Helmets and Armor, to create a uniquely designed one-quarter scale replica of military armor. The item, was well received around the world as being representative of the beauty of the formative arts of the Sengoku Period

New Challenges
We are reproducing the world-renowned beauty of armor from the Sengoku Period. It is important to note that although armor has been partially preserved as weapons, it has rarely been accurately reproduced as fully-clothed figures. What concerns us is that most of the armor of famous military commanders have been lost, so it is difficult to imagine what they really might have looked like. We therefore started researching and creating armors to preserve the beauty of the Azuchi-Momoyama period for future generations

We were certified as a management innovation company by the Japanese government in 2001 in recognition of our reputation as a cultural creation business

We planned and produced faithful reproductions of “Uesugi Kensin (Mogami Dogusoku )”, Sanada Yukimura (Buddha Dogusoku )”, “Oda Nobunaga” statues using the same materials and manufacturing methods as the actual armor of the time. We achieved this through intensive discussion with various parties and analysing what the production process would have been

Relocated office to Ginza. Opened our showroom
Worked on the 1/4 size statues of military commanders: Oda Nobunaga, Sanada Yukimura, and Date Masamune

 

Reproduced a Sengoku Period jinbaori, a surcoat that covers armor, and kosode, a garment with small wrist openings, with the Kyoto Dyeing and Technical Federation
Uesugi Kenshin’s kosode with a gold and brown nuriwaki painting

Began planning and production of urushi lacquerware to reproduce drinking vessels from the Sengoku Period

  • Commenced production of sacred sake vessels (heishi and cups) modeled after those used by Uesugi Kenshin.
  • Launched production representing ceramic artists in Azuchi-Momoyama styles (Setoguro, Kiseto, Shino, Karatsu, etc.).

Began supervision on painting of military commanders


Left: Military commander Sanada Yukimurapainted by Takano Haruo
Center: Military commander Oda Nobunaga painted by Takano Haruo
Right: Reminiscence of Kawanakajima by Toya Katsutoshi

Completed 1/2 scale reproduction of armor sets “Kuroda Nagamasa’s large buffalo-width peach-shaped helmet and complete set of Gusoku” and “Oda Nobunaga’s Nanban helmet”


Based on thorough research, this is the world’s first accurate reproduction in 1/2 scale

Held exhibitions entitled “The Beauty of Azuchi-Momoyama Period” throughout Japan to showcase the two and three dimensional aesthetic form of arts and crafts from that period

Exhibited at Tokyo Gift Show to show the beauty of statues, paintings, lacquerware and pottery from the Azuchi-Momoyama Period

 

・Produced Japan’s first authentic Historical Figure series

 

・Started an artist brand management division


© Hara Tetsuo

 

・Hosted the 1st “Buddhist Statues Exhibition” at Maruzen Marunouchi, held over 11 times to date.
Created a limited edition of thirty 1/1 scale Ken-oh and “Naoe Kanetsugu, helmets using the same traditional techniques as real helmets

 

We utilized the original traditional Japanese process of laminating real iron, beating it out by hand, and forming the shape. The helmets were also decorated with various authentic materials such as leather, wood, and stone

© Buronson, Hara Tetsuo / NSP 1983, Copyright License HIA-408 Fist of the North Star
© Ryu Keiichiro, Hara Tetsuo, Aso Mio / NSP 1990, Copyright License HID-609 Hana no Keiji

Relocated office and showroom to Mitsukoshimae/Nihonbashi
Created a new series of original Buddhist statues entitled BuddhismArt

 

Held Toya Katsutoshi’s Paintings of Military Commanders from Sengoku Period exhibition at the Art Gallery, Matsuya Ginza
Held Art of Katsutoshi Toya Katsutoshi and Azuchi-Momoyama Periodexhibition at the Art Gallery, Daimaru Tokyo
Exhibited at 1st Licensing Japan

Unveiled original character line SAMURAI ANIMALS, initiating character licensing and promotion; subsequently exhibited at all iterations through the 11th event.

Exhibited SAMURAI ANIMALS at Tokyo Gift Show
Nominated at the 2015 LIMA International Licensing Awards as one of six finalists in the 2015 Best Character or Toy Brand Program of the Year category

SAMURAI ANIMALS™, was nominated as one of six finalists in the 2015 Best Character or Toy Brand Program of the Year category, alongside world-famous properties from licensors such as Marvel Entertainment/Walt Disney Company, Hasbro and Sanrio

 

Established Atelier Kensin and created a limited edition of fifty 1/4 scale statues of military commanders

Exhibited military commanders statues at Maruzen Marunouchi Main Store, Osaka Takashimaya Department Store Art Gallery, and other locations

 

 

Released the latest work in the 1/4th scale “Masamune Date” Warlord Statue with Kuro-urushi Gomaidou Gusoku”.

 

Showcased our custom-crafted “KENSEI” (FOR HONOR) at UBI DAY.

© 2017 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. The For Honor logo, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/ or other countries.

Exhibited at Licensing Expo Japan 2018

Exhibited at Licensing Expo China 2018

 

Exhibited at Japan Content Showcase 2018

Delivered lectures on Japanese history and samurai culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Donated a Statue of Date Masamune to Zuihoden, the mausoleum complex and resting place of the Date Clan in Sendai, his hometown


The statue is currently on display at the Zuihoden Museum

Held a special exhibition at the Taira no Masakado Exhibition 2021.


Organizers: Kanda Myojin Museum, Tokyo Dub Agent Co., Ltd.
Details: Exhibited our antiquities and original fine art themed around “The Battle DNA of Masakado and Sengoku Warlords,” drawing a remarkable turnout despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Exhibited at The Great Berserk Exhibition


©三浦建太郎・スタジオ我画/白泉社

Organizers: “GREAT BERSERK EXHIBITION” Executive Committee
Details: Provided most statues exhibits for the nationwide tour (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka) and achieved record sales through statues and accessories.

Held “SAMURAI Exhibition” at Maruzen Nihonbashi.

 

Exhibited at Licensing Expo 2025 Las Vegas.