Japanese potters – N

Nakamura Yutaka 中村豊

1948-maleechizen potteryBorn in Tsuruga City. Graduated from Osaka University of Arts and won the Grand Prix. Set up Suesugi kiln in Echizen Pottery Village in 1972. In 1976, he built a cellar kiln. Awarded the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition Prize in 1974, the honorable mention, and the Grand Prize in 1979. Awarded the Newcomer’s Prize by the Prefectural Cultural Association. Selected for Chunichi International Exhibition among others. Commissioned by the Museum of Ethnology to make a large commode. (more…)

Nakamura Fumimasa 中村文昌

1939-malemashiko potteryBorn in Mashiko. Inherited the family business. Studied at the Nagoya Industrial Standards Institute in 1958. Won awards at the Shinkyo-Ten and Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, among others. Held personal exhibitions at Shibuya Tokyu, Ginza Matsuya, and Utsunomiya Ueno. Iron glaze, salt glaze and ash glaze. (more…)

Nakamura Fumio 中村文夫

1948-maleBorn in Shizuoka Prefecture. Worked as a potter in Shigaraki in 1974. Graduated from the Shigaraki Pottery Research Institute. Later, he studied in Mexico and the United States before returning to Japan in 1981 and holding a solo exhibition at the Shigaraki G Sueen. Since then, he has participated in the Shigaraki Zokei Exhibition, the Shiga Art of Tomorrow Exhibition at Yokkaichi Culture and Art Hall, the Zao Outdoor Exhibition at Natsuki Gallery, the Otsu Seibu Shigaraki Ten Artists’ Expressions Exhibition among others. Black pottery, bleaching. (more…)

Nakamura Hiroyuki 中村廣行

1949-maletokoname potteryBorn in Tokoname City. Graduated from Tokoname High School. Studied at the Tokoname Ceramics Research Institute in 1968 and left in 1973. Pottery making under the tutelage of Yamada Hikaru in Kyoto at his home studio. He was awarded prizes at the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition and Tokai Traditional Craft Exhibition. (more…)

Nakamura Hiroshi 中村裕

1954-maleBorn in Bihoro, Abashiri. Graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Nihon University. In 1978, he entered the Kyoto Industrial Research Institute. Thereafter, he worked at the Tajimi Kusanogashira kiln and the Fuji kiln in Sapporo. Built a kiln in 1982. His work was selected for the Traditional Craft New Work Exhibition and the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. Blue and white ceramics, iron glaze, and gray glaze. water jar 27,500 JPY 札幌市南区滝野157 kusanogama.com草の窯 | Kusanogama (more…)

Aoya Togo 6th 六代 粟生屋東洸

1948-malekyo potterySix generations from the first generation of Aoya Togo. Took on the name for the sixth generation after the death of the fifth generation in 1976. His actual name is Nakamura Kozo. Graduated from Kansai University and the Kyoto Ceramic Art Training Institute. He took on Houkokugama with a focus on tea ceremony and flower arrangement spanning a wide range of styles including red glazing, dyeing, shozui, gold-painted porcelain, and Korean. In 1986, he held a pottery exhibition at Kyoto Takashimaya Department Store to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his name succession. (more…)

Nakamura Toukichi 2nd 二代 中村陶吉

1912-2007malemoriyama potteryA pupil of Tokichi the 1st, the founder of Moriyama ware and succeeded his father after his death in 1949. Awarded the Prefectural Governor’s Award for Excellence in Technical Skills. Member of the Japanese Artists Cooperative. Director of the Prefectural Council of Arts and Crafts. Member of the prefectural exhibition committee. Iron glaze, yellow-ash glaze, handwork. (more…)

Nagai Hidenori 長井秀憲

1948-?maletsutsugawa potterykaratsu potteryTrained in Koishihara, Fukuoka Prefecture, as well as Kyoto and Kagoshima. Started the Shukengama Kiln for Utsutsugawa ware in Nagasaki in 1972. Studies ancient Utsutsugawa ware and makes ceramics based on Karatsu ware. (more…)

Notomi Kaijiro 納富介次郎

1844-1918maleBorn as the second son of Shintoist Shibata Hanamori (1809-1890), a samurai of the Saga clan, he learned painting from his father at an early age and was adopted by Confucian scholar Notomi Rokurozaemon when he was 16 years old.He also traveled to Shanghai with Nakamuta Kuranosuke, another Saga clan member, and Takasugi Shinsaku of the Choshu clan to work on trade research.At the beginning of the Meiji era (1868-1912), he moved to Yokohama in 1871 to study trade, and studied Western-style painting on the side.In 1977, he established Edogawa Pottery and devoted himself to experimental projects such as the (more…)

Naoki Misa 直木美佐

1947-femaleraku potteryFrom Izushimoda. Learned from her father Tomojiro and her uncle the first Egawa Sessai. Built a kiln in Kamakura in 1980. Has held solo exhibitions at Shinjuku Odakyu, Isetan, and Shibuya Kuroda Pottery. Mainly makes Raku ware. (more…)

Naoki Tomojiro 直木友次良

1903-?maleraku potterySpecializes in matcha bowls in black and red Raku ware. Has learned from ancient and modern masterpieces and has over 30 years of ceramics experience. Unaffiliated. Only does solo exhibitions, such as in Ginza Kuroda Toen pottery. (more…)

Naito Reiko 内藤レイ子

1926-femaleGraduated from Tajimi Technical High School. Studied under Kato Kozo. Started a kiln in Futaba, Akita Prefecture, in 1972. Has been selected for the Women’s Ceramic Exhibition and others. (more…)

Naito Rokuro 内藤六郎

1950-maleFrom Tokyo. Graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. Built a kiln in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1980. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition and others. Regular member of the Japan Crafts Association. Focuses on colored glaze. (more…)

Naito Masayuki 内藤雅之

1945-maleStudied under Kato Shuntei. Sobriquet is Muryo. Built a kiln in Aichi Prefecture in 1975. Focuses on Shino ware, Setoguro (black Seto) ware, and Oribe ware. Has held exhibitions at Ginza Matsuzakaya and is a member of the Teiyo-kai association. (more…)

Nakagawa Rokyaku 中川鷺脚

late edo period-rokyaku potterymaleIn 1877, Nakagawa Yujiro (year of birth and death unknown) of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture entered ‘Eiseisha’, a company succeeding in Tozan-ware from Himeji, and studied pottery under Shibata Okyaku. Later in 1881, he became independent in Koshomachi, Himeji City under the name of Nakagawa Rokyaku.Things like hand-formed teapots, tea implements and vases, were fired using clay from Itohiki Village Kaneda, and Nanga mountain water landscapes and crabs etc., were used as decorations. It is known as Rokyaku ware. (more…)

Nikko Inc. ニッコー株式会社

1908-Nikko is a long-standing ceramic and porcelain tableware company that mainly produces western tableware. The company’s head office is located in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Before the war, tableware for exportation had “NIPPON” or “JAPAN” marks on them. After the war, they had “JAPAN” or “Occupied Japan” marks. It appears that the tableware sold domestically did not have the “NIPPON” and “JAPAN” marks. (more…)

Nishiura Enji 5th 五代 西浦圓治

1856-1914maleThe 1st generation Nishiura Enji was a potter from Tajimi in Mino Province and endeavored to improve Mino ware, even becoming the executive director of the Mino Kiln around the Bunsei eta (1818 – 1830). However, the 3rd – 5th generation Enji would begin to establish their works as Nishiura ware around the Meiji era to the Taisho era.In terms of styles, the 1st and 2nd generations mainly focused on blue and white pottery during Bakumatsu, but starting around 1883 under the lead of the 3rd generation, overglaze and other techniques were used to produce works with elaborate Japanese decorations (more…)