Tsuruya Kokei (born July 1946, Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a contemporary Japanese woodblock print artist celebrated for his vivid portraits of Kabuki actors. His real name is Gen Mitsui, and he grew up in Tokyo, in a family with a strong artistic heritage - his father was a painter and his grandfather the Western-style painter Hiromitsu Nakazawa. Despite this background, Kokei initially pursued a different path, until the mid-1970s when he was profoundly inspired by a Kabuki performance and swapped office life for the artist's workshop. He did not create his first art print until the age of 32.
In 1978, he began focusing on yakusha-e (actor prints), inspired by Kabuki theatre, and exhibited his works at the Kabuki-za Theatre Gallery. He would sketch scenes during rehearsals and early performances, then produce woodblock prints within 10-15 days so they could be sold during the second half of the 25-day performances.
Working in the spirit of sosaku hanga, Kokei designed, carved, inked, and printed each block himself. His work draws frequent comparisons to the enigmatic Edo-period master Sharaku, earning him the nickname "the modern Sharaku."