Japanese potters – O

Ogata Shuhei 2nd 二代 尾形周平

1819–1883malekyo potterySome say that he was the son of the original Ogata Shuhei in the late Edo period, but the truth is unclear. His dates of birth and death are also from an unconfirmed theory.In the Heian Public Records published in the Kaei era, he is recorded as “Ogata Shinki, of Matsuzukien, residing in Gion”. In the public records published in the Keio era, he was recorded as “Ogata, Gojo-zaka, Ceramicist Shuhei”, showing that he moved to Gojo. As for his work, his paintings were slightly rougher than the founder, and in the Meiji era, he started to use gold (more…)

Okada Kakei 岡田華渓

1921–?femalekyo potteryShe is a female ceramicist from the Okada family who have been making pottery at Kyoto’s Kiyomizu since the Edo period. She learned Japanese painting from Inoue Masaharu and mainly makes tea ware at Kyoto’s Higashiyama under the brand “Akane Kiln”.She is one of the few artists certified by the Senke school. (more…)

Ogasawara Choshun 9th 九代 小笠原長春

1932–malenabeshima porcelainA direct descendant of the Ogasawara clan, Nabeshima’s master ceramicists, his father, Yue, was Choshun the 7th while his brother, Takeshi, was Choshun the 8th, and they studied traditional Nabeshima Celadon together, which earned them awards from the Nabeshima Celadon Ministry and Imari City in 1969. The next year, he was nominated at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, and has won awards at various exhibitions since before being nominated and becoming a full member of the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1980 and 1981.After his brother’s passing in 1993, he took over as Choshun the 9th and still actively (more…)

Ogami Takumi 大上巧

1951–maletamba potteryBorn as the son of Ogami Toru, the master of Tamba-Tachikui ware, he went to Otemon Gakuin University and graduated in 1974, and then became an apprentice at the Miyanaga family. After that, he returned to his hometown and inherited his father’s Okuma Kiln.He has been nominated at national-level and local contemporary pottery exhibitions as well as won awards from the likes of Hyogo Museum of Modern Art. Member of the Hyogo Prefecture Craft and Beauty Association. (more…)

小河仁斎 Ogawa Jinsai

1914–?maleshigaraki potteryAlso as known as Ogawa Tokusai the 4th. A master of Shigaraki ware from the late Edo period, the founder was invited by Iga’s Todo Clan for his skill at replicating ancient Iga ware.Tokusai the 4th was born as the eldest son of the 3rd, and was named Jinsai at birth. He took over as Tokusai the 4th in 1977. He made tea wares and sake wares using a traditional cellar kiln. (more…)

Ohi Chozaemon 7th 七代 大樋長左衛門

1834–1894maleohi potteryBorn as the 4th son of Chozaemon the 5th, he is also the younger brother of Chozaemon the 6th.From the Tokugawa Shogunate–Meiji era, the social upheavals and abolition of the feudal domain system caused pottery kilns all over the country to lose their feudal patrons, and Chozaemon also went out of business temporarily.However, in 1884, he moved to the neighboring city, Kasuga and established a kiln there and helped revive Ohi ware. (more…)

Ohi Chozaemon 6th 六代 大樋長左衛門

1829-1856maleohi potteryBorn as the eldest son of Chozaemon the 5th, he mainly assisted his father’s pottery making and did official work for the Kaga Clan.As he departed early at 28 years old together with his father in 1856, his surviving works did not seem to show that he has developed any unique style and they are very similar to the works of Chozaemon the 5th. (more…)

Onotami Jiro 小野民次郎

1801–1853maleA tycoon of Kurashiki’s Tamashima Nagao, he first studied in Kyoto and learned pottery from Aoki Mokubei and Nin’ami Dohachi, and then invited Seifu Yohei and Rokubey the 2nd, apprentices of Dohachi the 2nd, to Tamashima and learned to make Raku ware and dyed porcelain. In particular, he excelled at imitating ancient Chinese ceramic treasures. (more…)

Ogawa Takeo 小川武雄

1924–maleHe joined the Kyoto Ceramicists Club in 1949 and presented his wares at the Kyoto Exhibition, Club Exhibition, and Nitten, and he also won many awards, such as the Governor’s Award (1954) and the Mayor’s Award (1955) at the Club Exhibition; the Mayor’s Award (1956), Club Award (1957), and NHK Kyoto Director Award (1968) at the Kyoto Exhibition; and his wares were bought by the Soviet Leningrad National Museum during the Japan-Soviet Exhibition in 1958. However, after 1970, he stopped presenting his wares at exhibitions and left the Ceramicists Club in 1975. His works comprise of flower vessels and incense (more…)

Ogawa Niraku 3rd 三代 小川二楽

1927–?akahada potteryAfter learning how to make clay paste and glaze liquid at Kyoto’s Pottery Research Studio, he learned under his predecessor, Niraku the 2nd.In 1955, he took over as Niraku the 3rd and has since made wares using traditional techniques like Nara illustrations, basket carving, and ash glaze.He has won the Mayor’s Award at the Nara Prefecture Exhibition, and was a judge at the Nara Municipal Art Festival, is a member of the Nara Crafts Association as well as the Arts Association, and Chairman of the Nara Flower Arrangement Association, contributing to Nara’s cultural development. He received the title of (more…)

Okuiso Teruko 奥磯照子

1928–2016femalemino potteryShe was the wife of Okuiso Eiroku, the master ceramicist of Mino ware. After his husband’s passing, she started making pottery together with their son, Okuiso Taigaku, and used the cellar kiln to try and make Shino ware, presenting their wares at parent-child exhibitions and individual exhibitions.She mainly makes tea wares. (more…)

Oshima Kokoku 大嶋黄谷

1820–1904maleako-unka potteryOriginally a metal caster, he started learning pottery from Sakune Benjiro, the master of Edo’s Imado ware in 1848, and established “Ako Unka ware” in Ako, Hyogo.He also used the pen name Soshu. (more…)

Okuda Tokio 奥田陶器夫

1932–1981maleshigaraki potteryWhile working as a potter’s wheel technician at the Shigaraki Kiln Research Studio, he also made his own wares and presented them at open exhibitions, and in 1977 he won the Chichibunomiya Cup at the Japan Pottery Exhibition and was a promising new star in Shigaraki ware but unfortunately died young in 1981. (more…)

Oshio Shozan 4th 四代 大塩昭山

1960–maleakahada potteryBorn as the eldest son of the Akahada ware ceramicist, Oshio Shozan the 3rd, after graduating from the Osaka University of Art, he learned at the Ceramics and Porcelain Department of Kyoto Prefecture’s Pottery Technical School, and while studying he presented his works at Kyoto’s Pottery Exhibition from the year 1960, and started devoting himself to pottery at his father’s workshop after graduating, participating in Oshio Shozan Kiln Crafts Exhibition, Nara Prefecture Crafts Exhibition, and Nara Prefecture Young Artist Exhibition, etc., winning many nominations and awards before winning the PARIS Art of Peace Award at the PARIS Art of (more…)

Onishi Rakusai 7th 七代 尾西楽斉

1958–maleakahada potteryBorn into the Onishi family that specialized in Nara Akahada ware, he was familiarized with pottery from a young age and started to learn making pottery under his grandfather, Rakusai the 5th while studying in university, presenting his works in the Nitten, Japan Contemporary Arts and Craft Exhibition, and Nara Prefecture Exhibition, etc. but stopped presenting at group exhibitions after 1997 and started holding individual exhibitions at department stores such as Yokohama’s Takashimaya, Kyoto’s Daimaru, Meitetsu, and Kintetsu, before taking over as Rakusai the 7th in 2003. He also presented his work at the “Yamato Takumi Exhibition” in 2006, (more…)

Oda Seizan 小田清山

1874–1960malekutani porcelainAfter learning ceramics decorating under Higuchi Somatsu in the beginning, he went independent and in 1894 started to use slender brushes to write Chinese poems in fine prints on teacups and later further learned under Nomura Zenkichi to elevate his trade.Using his own unique cursives, he was a master at making highly aesthetic wares that include not only tea cups but also incense holders, tea bowls, and pots inscribed with Hyakunin Isshu poems and new and old Japanese poems.Among many of his successful apprentices is Tamura Kinsei. (more…)

Oshima Kajo 大島霞城

1868–?seto potteryA ceramics decorator and ceramicist of the Edo and Meiji era, he first stayed at Kawamoto Masukichi’s workshop and learned the basics of ceramics decorating from Oide Toko of the Nanga school, and worked as a ceramics decorator at Masukichi’s workshop.Other than that, he also worked as a ceramics decorator for Kato Shuhei and Kawamoto Hanbei’s workshops, and it was said that his technique was extraordinary among the Seto ware decorators, and in 1895 he created the work “Underglazed Four Seasons Tray” together with Masukichi the 2nd. He went independent in the latter period of the Meiji era and (more…)

Takeuchi Toshihiko 竹内俊彦

1932-malekyo potteryAt around 20 years old, he started making pottery independently and won awards at the Kansai Art Exhibition, Kyoto Art Exhibition, and more. After that, he earned favor from Kawakita Handeishi and became his apprentice, holding his first individual exhibition at Osaka’s Maruzen Art Gallery in the same year.In 1971, he established his own kiln in Ohara, Kyoto and mainly presents his work at various individual exhibitions and group exhibitions in many locations.He mainly makes tea leaf containers using his unique Oni-Tenmoku glaze, while also making other artistic tea wares using a range of different techniques like Irabo, Shino, (more…)

Okamoto Eiji 岡本栄司

1924–malearita porcelainWith the vision of applying the traditional techniques and patterns of Imari ware to modern tableware, he makes exquisite Japanese and Western tableware, coffee bowls, and cups, and has won awards at many Crafts Exhibitions. (more…)