Japanese potters

Chikashige Jitaro 近重治太郎

1895-?maleshodai potteryJitaro I is from Iwami, Shimane Prefecture. He established a kiln in Manda, Kumamoto in 1929. In 1931, he revived the antique Shodai ware kiln to produce Shodai ware. He was designated as a technique preservationist in 1944, and received the Traditional Industrial Arts Achievement Award in 1951. (more…)

Tamura Unkei 1st 初代 田村雲渓

1931-1986maletada potteryHe revived Tada ware, the production of which at the Iwakuni Domain Kiln in Suo Province was halted during the Kansai Era. He established the Tada Ware Unkeiyama Kiln in Mikawa-cho in 1981. He focused on the production of tea utensils. He was mainly active in solo exhibitions, but passed suddenly at the age of 55. The second generation Tamura Unkei took over for him. (more…)

Takahashi Seizan 高橋清山

Meiji EraFrom Koyto. A potter active from the Meiji Era to the Showa Era in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu. They took part in the ceramics study group Yutoen.He exhibited at the 3rd and 4th Annual Department of Agriculture Crafts Exhibitions. He won the Bronze Award at the 1915 Enthronement Memorial Exhibition. He left behind innovative works for his time, designing white porcelains, matte glaze, and red glaze. (more…)

Takeuchi Ginshu 竹内吟秋

1831-1913malekutani porcelainBorn the eldest son to the Azai family in Daishoji, Enuma-gun, Kaga Prefecture, he later became the adopted son of the Takeuchi family.He studied pottery painting and Tsukatani Makoto under Idaya Hachiroemon. Around 1878, he learned how to make clay material from Tsukatani Chikken and Okura Juraku.The following year, in 1879, he funded the establishment of a private school Ishin-sha. The year after that, he joined the Kutani Pottery Company, which had just been established at the time, as general manager. He studied gosai five-colored porcelains, beginning with akae, and he produced many excellent works. In 1881, he went (more…)

Takegoshi Toshiaki 武腰敏昭

1940-malekutani porcelainTakegoshi Taizan III. Upon graduating from college, he started down the path of ceramics. He was selected for the first time to exhibit at the 2nd Annual Japan Contemporary Art Exhibition in 1968, and he exhibited at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition and the Ishikawa Contemporary Art Exhibition, etc. He received the Special Prize at the 35th Ishikawa Contemporary Art Exhibition in 1979, the 12th Japan Fine Arts Exhibition Special Award in 1981, and the 18th Japan Fine Arts Exhibition in 1986. In 1989, he became a member of the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition. In the same year, the (more…)

Takagi Tokuhei 高木徳平

?-1902malekoto porcelainA potter from Shimizuzaka, Kyoto, he was invited to make Koto ware for the Hikone Domain’s garden wares in 1856 due to his high skill level, and he took the name Tokube.He received high praise amongst the Koto ware potters, beside Terao Ichishiro (who was the head craftsman of Koto ware and was invited from Seto). However, he left his position and returned to Kyoto in 1860, where he began working at the Mikiyama Denshichi Factory during the Meiji Era.Even before he was invited by the Hikone Domain, he held a good reputation for creating dyed teapots, and it (more…)

Tanaka Hajime 田中一

1933-maleHe was invited to present his works at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, the Contemporary Crafts Exhibition, the Mainichi Ceramics Exhibition, the Good Design Exhibition, the Japan New Craft Exhibition, etc.He utilized the technique of scraping blue and white porcelain, leaving behind excellent works such as tableware, confectionery bowls, and plates. (more…)

Tanaka Hozan 田中穂山

1884-1964maleIn 1925, he established the Tokyo Yaguchi Kiln to create tea ware. He participated in the Eastern Potters Association, and began studying antique ceramics throughout China in 1938.In 1944, he established the Hoyama Kiln in Takashima-cho, Shiga Prefecture, engaging in the restoration of Otawa wares. In 1947, he was invited by Kurushima Hidesaburo, president of Otaki Natural Gas Company, to move to Moraba, Chiba Prefecture to build a Chosei Kiln and begin creating Moraba wares fired by natural gas.He also collected antique ceramics beginning with Chinese ceramics and his collection in the Wayo Women’s University Museum. (more…)

Takenaka Chikuzan 竹中竹山

1874-1920maleHis real name is Tokujiro. It is said that his kiln, located at Sanjo Jingu-michi Nishi, Kyoto, which produced unglazed ceramics to be delivered to painters who then paint them, was a prosperous business from the Meiji Era through the Taisho Era.When he passed at the young age of 46 in 1920, his wife and second son took over the business, but it saw gradual decline and eventually closed due to the expansion of Sanjo-dori in 1934. (more…)

Tanzan Seikai 丹山青海

1813-1887malekyo potteryBecoming the son-in-law of Kumano, Kyoto potter Shinriki Rikizo, he learned to paint from Nakamura Chikuto and others. In 1848, he established a kiln in Nakanomachi, Awataguchi. Becoming a potter, he changed his name to Tanzan Seikai, and in 1854 he worked as a potter for Shorenin Nomiya when they opened a ceramic products hall.He exhibited at the 1st Kyoto Exhibition in 1872, won the silver medal at the 1st National Industrial Exhibition in 1877, and won the silver medal at the Paris World Expo the following year. (more…)

Takeuchi Shunsen 竹内春仙

1931-kyo potteryManaging Director of Kyoto Kiyomizu Ware Kiln, Kyoto Ceramics Co., Ltd.Additionally, he was appointed as chairman of the Kyoto Ceramics Cooperative Association and put his efforts into training young artists in order to improve the industry. (more…)

Takita Chinkei 瀧田椿渓

1853-1932maletokoname poteryAfter learning ceramic techniques at an early age from Tokoname potter Inaba Kodo II and studying in Enshu, he started a collaborative kiln in Nishibata Village, Hekikaigun where he developed Seitan ware.He had superior techniques for both the potter’s wheel and hand work, and he created tea wares, sake sets, vases, hibachis, etc. In particular, he left behind a number of excellent Nanban technique tea sets. In his later years, he made his name in firing matcha bowls with salt glaze. He is famous as a master Tokoname craftsman from the Meiji Era through the Showa Era. (more…)

Tamura Fukuhei 田村福平

Meiji Era – ?maleawaji potteryHe was a craftsman of folk pottery wares in Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture. In 1883, he established the Tamura Pottery Factory alongside his brother Tamura Kyuhei, who was also a craftsman. In 1886 they changed the name to Awaji Ceramics Co., Ltd., and it was also known as Onokoro ware after Awaji’s old name.His products consisted of glazed, non-cracked soft pottery inspired by Wagner’s Asahi ware.His older brother Kyuhei passed in 1914, and Fukuhei then moved to Akashi, Okuradani and continued making pottery. (more…)

Takegawa Chikusai 竹川竹斎

1809-1882malebanko potteryBorn in Matsusaka as the son of Masanobu VI, a wealthy merchant who worked for the Shogunate exchange business, he left Edo for Osaka from the age of 12 to study currency conversion for the family business for 6 years.In addition to the family business, he was also interested in Japanese studies, agricultural engineering, astronomical geography, and tea cultivation and irrigation system renovations. He made efforts to advance local cultures, also receiving teachings on tea ceremony and tea wares from the tea ceremony school Urasenke’s Gengensai, founding Izawacho Banko ware. (more…)

Yamagishi Masaaki 山岸政明

1926-malekutani porcelainBorn in Ishikawa Prefecture. He was selected for the first time in 1965 for the 4th Annual Japan Contemporary Art Exhibition (being selected many times since then), and for the 3rd Annual Asahi Ceramics Exhibition the same year (being selected many times since). In 1966, he received the top prize at the 22nd Annual Contemporary Art Exhibition, he won the 1st Rotary Award, and he was selected for the 9th Annual Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (being selected many times since). In 1968, he was selected for the 54th Kofukai Exhibition for the first time (being selected many times since), (more…)

Takegoshi Zentaro 武腰善太郎

Meiji Era – Showa Eramalekutani porcelainIn 1947, he was in charge of production for His Majesty the Emperor’s visit to Hokuriku.His first time winning an award was at the 16th Annual National Artists’ Association Exhibition. He won awards at the 1st to 3rd Annual New Crafts Exhibition (recommended by a friend) and at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (3rd, 7th, 8th, 10th, and 12th annual events), and he won first prize at the 10th Annual Contemporary Art Exhibition. He received the Prime Minister’s Award at the Japan Industrial Arts Association’s Japan Industrial Crafts Exhibition.Since 1947, he was working at the (more…)

Takegoshi Taizan 2nd 二代 武腰泰山

1919-1984malekutani porcelainIn 1947, he was in charge of production for His Majesty the Emperor’s visit to Hokuriku.He exhibited his works successively from the 9th Annual Contemporary Art Exhibition to the 24th (winning awards 3 times). He exhibited from the 21st to the 25th Annual Issuikai Exhibition, the 3rd and 4th Annual Contemporary Crafts Exhibition (winning an award in the American Traveling Exhibition), the 2nd through the 5th Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, the 7th through the 11th Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, and the 51st through the 54th Kofukai Exhibition. He participated in the establishment of the Creative Art Society’s Ceramics Club after (more…)

Takegoshi Taizan 1st 初代 武腰泰山

1878-1946malekutani porcelainBorn to Takegoshi Zenpei I, who was considered a master of Kutani ware painting, he inherited his father’s techniques and was active from the Taisho Era to the Showa Era.He leaves behind works such as detailed paintings of people, flowers, and mountain and water landscapes. (more…)

Tashiro Seijiuemon 田代清治右衛門

?-1658malesoma potteryA potter named Toshiro Seijiuemon, he moved to Kyoto in 1648 under the order of Soma, the Nakamura feudal lord of Iwaki Province (Fukushima Prefecture). Following 7 years of training under Nonomura Ninsei of Omuro, he returned to his hometown and received a letter from his teacher. After this, he began calling himself Seijiuemon. In 1867, at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Seijiuemon XI received the pen name Hokkyo from the feudal lord. The current head of the family is Tashiro Hideto XV. (more…)