Japanese potters

Inoue Motozo 2nd 二代 井上素三

1890-1956maletokoname potteryIt is presumed that he was adopted by the 1st generation Inoue Motozo, given that his real name was Kameoka Umesaburo. Received instruction from the 1st generation, succeeded the name of “Tomozo” and artist name of “Fushikian,” and created masterpieces of Tokoname ware tea sets for green tea and matcha. (more…)

Inoue Motozo 井上素三

1866-1931maletokoname potteryWas born as the 3rd son of Tomimoto Iwajiro, but was adopted by the Inoue family and took on the surname of Inoue.Trained in ceramics under the 1st generation Morishita Mokuji, the Tokoname ware potter, since he was a child and is also said to have studied under his uncle, the 2nd generation Matsumoto Sanko. He then traveled around kilns in Ise, Yamashiro, Shikoku, Bizen, and other places alone.Was invited by the Shinonome ware kiln in Nagoya in 1893, enjoyed the favor of the tea ceremony expert Shibayama Junko, and devoted himself to studying tea ceremonies. Since then, began (more…)

Iwakurasan Kichibei 岩倉山吉兵衛

Late Edo ear – Early Meiji Eramaleiwakura potteryA potter from a family that had been making ceramics for generations in Awataguchi, Kyoto who became a commissioned teacup maker for the Tokugawa clan together with Kinkozan Sobei in 1756. Although he continued in this position until around the Bakumatsu, many details, such as when the 1st generation lived and how many generations there were, are unclear. It is presumed that his ancestors were Iwakura ware potters in Rakuhoku. (more…)

Idaka Kizan 1st 初代 井高帰山

1881-1967maleFound employment as an engineer at Izushi Ceramic Experimental Institute and later became acquainted with Makuzu ware from Yokohama and Mikasa ware from Karuizawa. Became independent after training and started the Awama ware kiln.Mainly excelled at tea sets for green tea and also produced celadon and Dehua porcelain. However, there are hardly any remaining works, as he created all of his works by himself without using any assistants. (more…)

Ozeki Sakujuro 2nd 二代 尾関作十郎

?–1896maleinuyama potteryHe is the 2nd generation to operate the Inuyama ware kiln that was established during the late Edo period, and is the son of the founder. The founder worked as the tiler for the Owari Clan but moved to Inuyama in 1866 and started making Inuyama ware while also assisting Kato Seizo and others at the Maruyama Kiln. However, due to the Meiji Restoration, he ran out of business and started the Ozeki Kiln afterwards.Sakujuro the 2nd presented his wares at the 1st, 3rd, and 4th National Industrial Exhibition and has been awarded Certificates of Merit. (more…)

Okamura Shozan 奥村松山

1842–1905malekoto porcelainAs an apprentice at the Hikone domain’s Koto ware workshop, he learned pottery from Kangin Denshichi, and became independent in 1876.He started making wares at Awataguchi, Kyoto. At first, he used colored glaze to create replicas of ancient Imari and Nonomura Ninsei’s wares, but after Western illustrations were incorporated into Kurita ware, he started making Kyo-Satsuma ware together with the likes of Senkozan.After winning multiple awards at the National Industrial Exhibition, his wares also earned favor in Europe. (more…)

Okamoto Kazuo 岡本和郎

1930–2000malekyo potteryA ceramicist in Kiyomizu, Kyoto, he inherited his father, Okamoto Tameji’s workshop and still makes wares to this day. (more…)

Ono Shinya 尾野晋也

1940–2018malesodeshi potteryHe is the 4th generation to inherit the legacy of Matsue ware (Sodeshi ware) originally founded by Ono Tomoichi. His father, Ono Toshiro, who was the 3rd generation joined the folk art movement after being influenced by Yanagi Muneyoshi, Bernard Howell Leach, and Hamada Shoji, changing their style to focus on folk crafts and becoming a proponent of “Aesthetics in Daily Use Items” which combined utility with beauty. (more…)

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…)