Toshioka Shinji (利岡 新次) is born in 1866 in Hachiman village (八幡村), close to Kanazawa. His brother was Matsubara Shinsuke (松原新助). He learned pottery from his brother. Around 1870 he established a kiln and produced white pottery. Later in cooperation with Matsumoto Sahei (松本佐平) they produced pottery for export such as vases and miscellaneous items.
He started to perform some research on pottery making and visited most of the kilns in Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1894 he visited several Prefectures and start teaching pottery technic. From 1898 up to 1908, he was employed as expert by several pottery companies in Kanazawa and Tokyo.
In 1899 he went to Kyoto and learned for 10 years pottery painting. In 1918 he came back to Kanazawa and in 1920 he opened the Kosen kiln (光仙窯) in No village.He took the name of Toshioka Kosen the 1st (初代利岡 光仙). He died in 1935 when he was 70 years old.
Kosen's work was sent to the US in 1926 by the Japanese government as a representative
work to celebrate the 150th Independence Day celebrations. In 1930 his work
won a grand prix award in exposition in Belgium. His work was purchased by the
Imperial family as well.