Japanese potters

Asai Shusai 浅井周斎

1720-1800malenanzan potteryAfter retiring from a position as a wealthy merchant by the name of Kawasakiya Genbe, he established a kiln on Yamashiro Yawatashi Hatogamine Nanzan in 1758 and opened Nanzan Ware. (more…)

Asakura Isokichi 3rd 三代 浅蔵五十吉

1941-malekutani porcelainBorn the eldest son of Asakura Isokichi II, he studied under Kitade Tojiro in 1962 after finishing his time at the National Nagoya Industrial Technology Research Institute’s Department of Ceramics.After winning his first prize at the Ishikawa Prefecture Contemporary Art Exhibition in 1963, he has also been selected for prizes at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, the Japan Contemporary Art Exhibition, etc. He received the highest award at the Ishikawa Contemporary Art Exhibition in 1972, the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition Special Award in 1972 (selected again in 1986), and the Membership Award at the Japan Contemporary Art Exhibition in (more…)

Asami Takeshi 浅見武

1962-malekyo potteryGrandson of Asami Ryuzo, he started pottery work under the guidance of his grandfather and his father, Asami Kaoru.Upon graduation from the Kyoto Municipal Research Institute and the Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics Vocational Training School, he began his own creative work and gained awards at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, the Japan Contemporary Craft Art Exhibition, the Kyoto Exhibition, etc. He worked as a lecturer at the Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute, endeavoring to teach younger generations. (more…)

Asami Kaoru 浅見薫

1932-malekyo potteryBorn the eldest son to Gojozaka, Kyoto potter Asami Ryuzo, he began producing works under his father’s guidance after graduating from university. In addition, he served at the Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute, working on research and teaching of ceramic glazes, and later served as the Industrial Arts Manager and Workshop Manager.He received special prizes at the 10th Japan Fine Arts Exhibition in 1978, and the 15th Japan Fine Arts Exhibition in 1983. He also served as a judge for either exhibition. (more…)

Akamaru Setsuzan 赤丸雪山

Late Edo Period-?kutani porcelainA Kaga Province potter from the end of the Edo period through the Meiji period, established a workshop with Takayama Suzan in 1865, and gathered local Kutani ware potters to produce Akae and Kinran tea wares.In 1872, opened their own workshop and hired more than 40 potters and painters to produce and sell works under the name Setsuzan-do. (more…)

Ajiki Hiro 安食ひろ

1948-maleDropped out of Musashino Art University. Since 1971, he has traveled to more than 25 countries, including India, Europe, and Africa to interact with the cultures of each region. He built an ascending kiln upon his return to Japan and the beginning of his independence.Beginning with his receipt of the Tanabe Museum of Art Ceremony Model Exhibition Grand Prize in 1987, he also received the Exhibition Honorable Mention at this same exhibition, an Excellence Award, the Tanko Biennial Special Award, Honorable Mentions, etc. He held a solo exhibition and tea ceremony in India in 2005, and in the same year (more…)

Kano Tanrei 狩野探令

1857-1931malekutani porcelainReai name is Araki Jotaro. Born to a Tozawa domain leader in Dewa Province.He went to Edo to study under the Kajibashi Kano family’s student Kakikawa Ensai, and he also studied the Kano school paintings under the family’s teenage Kano Tanbi. Afterwards, he was active in exhibitions like the Japan Art Association Exhibition.During the time that the 1907 Ministry of Education Bunten Exhibition was held, he participated in the Society of Orthodox Schools, becoming their executive secretary. He also took part in the formation of the Kano Association with Kano Tadanobu, Okakura Shusui, and Oka Fuho.In addition to his (more…)

Aragaki Tsutomu 新垣勉

1950-2012maletsuboya potterySon of leading Okinawan folk art potter Aragaki Eizaburo, he is engaged in pottery making alongside his brother, Aragaki Isao.Since receiving the Okinawa Prefectural Exhibition Honorable Mention in 1971, he remained active mainly in Okinawa Prefectural Exhibitions and solo exhibitions, receiving the 1972 Oki Exhibition Award, the 1973 Honorable Mention, and the 1974 Oki Exhibition Award, receiving awards for four consecutive years. (more…)

Aragaki Eizaburo 新垣栄三郎

1921-1984maletsuboya potteryBorn to Aragaki Eitoku V of the pottery family who creates Ryukyu ware in Tsuboya, Naha, Okinawa, he was familiar with pottery from childhood and received guidance from Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro, who had come to observe the folk art movement in 1939.After graduating from Taichung Normal School in Taiwan in 1941, he worked in an elementary school in Shimane Prefecture. After the war, he worked in his hometown’s Tsuboya Elementary School from 1947 to 1954.Following this, he began to devote himself to pottery, and received high praise at a number of exhibitions, including the National Artists’ Association (more…)

Aragaki Isao 新垣勲

1944-2018maletsuboya pottery7th Generation Ryukyu Pottery, Tsuboya Ware, Potter.In his grandfather Arakai Eitoku’s time, Yanagi Muneyoshi and Hamada Shoji became friends when visiting Okinawa, and from then on began producing works that crossed folk art style design with Ryukyu ware.He received the Oki Exhibition Honorable Mention in 1964 and from 1966 through 1969, and the Oki Exhibition Award in 1970 and 1971, and he was nominated as a member of the Okinawa Exhibition Association in 1977. He won the Rookie of the Year Award from the Exhibition Ceramics Club of the National Artists’ Association in 1973, received the Minister of International (more…)

Akazawa Roseki 4th 四代 赤沢露石

1941-2020maleGrandson of Akazawa Roseki II. Exhibited at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition since 1969, held his first solo exhibition at Kyoto Daimaru in 1981, and from then on has held a number of solo exhibitions at places such as Tokyo Mitsukoshi Main Store, Nagoya Mitsukoshi, Osaka Mitsukoshi, etc. (more…)

Akazawa Roseki 2nd 二代 赤沢露石

1897-1976maleFormed from Akazawa Kaho I, a Kyoto potter who inherited the generational name Roseki from Roseki II.Roseki II (Shuzo) was born as Kaho I and worked in the family business. In 1943, he was selected as a Cochin ware technique preservation artist. He left behind many excellent works, mostly tea utensils, and in 1960 participated in the founding of the Kyoto Traditional Ceramics Association, and is also active as a founding colleague.Roseki III (Akazawa Shizuo) was named by Roseki II’s wife. (more…)

Asami Gorosuke 6th 六代 浅見五郎助

1951-malekyo potteryBorn the eldest son of Gorosuke V, he graduated from Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics Vocational Training School in 1974 and after training at the Ceramics Department of Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute, moved to the United States.He studied under his father from 1972. In addition to working as his father’s assistant in the pottery industry, he created his own works which he presented at solo exhibitions, etc. In 1988, he became the sixth generation Asami Gorosuke and continues his work through the present day. (more…)

Asami Gorosuke 5th 五代 浅見五郎助

1923-1987malekyo potteryBorn to Gorosuke IV, he studied under his father and at the Kyoto Ceramics Research Institute after graduating from the Ceramics Department of the Kyoto Institute of Technology.He continued his research on the family’s brush marks, Shonzui, and Kyoto wares and in 1967 was named Gorosuke V. Since then, he continued productions centered around solo exhibitions. (more…)

Asami Gorosuke 4th 四代 浅見五郎助

1895-1967malekyo potteryThe second son of Irie Tatsunosuke, the brother of Gorosuke II’s wife. He was adopted into the Asami family when Gorosuke III died in the war and the family lost their successor.He researched the styles common throughout history and reproduced many works from various kilns, earning him certification as a traditional technique preservationist in 1939. (more…)

Asami Gorosuke 3rd 三代 浅見五郎助

?-1905malekyo potteryBorn to Tanemura Ibei in Fushimi, he later married the daughter of Gorosuke II and joined the Asami family as a son in law, and was then bestowed the name Gorosuke III.He mainly left behind works in the family art of Shonzui and teacups, but as he died in the Russo-Japanese War, his time producing was short and his works are rare. (more…)

Asami Gorosuke 2nd 二代 浅見五郎助

1861-1928malekyo potteryBorn as the eldest son of Gorosuke the 1st, he learned pottery techniques from his father and inherited the family name.He produced teacups and tableware, and developed a relationship with cultural figures of the time, such as Rengetsu Otagaki and Tessai Tomioka, with whom he produced a number of collaboration paintings. (more…)

Asami Gorosuke 浅見五郎助

1829-1895malekyo potteryBorn as the second son of Higuchi Munentaka, the feudal lord of the Settsu Takatsuki Domain, he was later adopted by the Asami family in Kyoto and became a potter under the guidance of Rokubei II.He opened a kiln in Gojozaka, Kyoto in 1852, wherein he produced utensils and tea wares such as porcelain and pottery teacups, confectionery bowls, and drinking vessels.He was particularly adept at duplicating Shonzui works, and naturally began calling himself “Shonzui Gorosuke.” From then on, the name Gorosuke and his style of pottery became a representation of Kyoto wares from generation to generation, even until (more…)

Asano Yo 浅野陽

1923- 1997maleHe began majoring in lacquer arts, but he was influenced by Tomimoto Kenkichi and Fujimoto Yoshimichi at the Tokyo Fine Arts School’s Industrial Arts Technical Training Center and proceeded down the path of pottery.Upon becoming independent, he exhibited a number of times at the Industrial Art Association’s Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, which earned him the post of full member of the Industrial Arts Association.Otherwise, he mainly presented his work in solo exhibitions. (more…)

Abe Wato 阿部和唐

1937 –maleBorn into an artistic household with a Western-style painter for a father and a doll artist for a mother, he was interested in clay crafts since childhood. While still in junior high school, he exhibited at the Sankei Newspaper Doll Exhibition (an open-call exhibition) and won a special prize. Demonstrating exceptional talent and artistic sensibilities from early on, he began making pottery under the guidance of Yasuhara Yoshiaki in 1955. He received a special prize at the Asahi Newspaper Contemporary Ceramic Doll Exhibition in 1960. He was selected for and won many awards.After 1974, he exhibited at the Japan (more…)