Japanese potters

Koyama Suehiro 小山末廣

1948-malebizen potteryBorn in Inbe. Third son of Koyama Isso. Studied under Motoyama Kinju. Went independent in 1971 and built a hole kiln in 1982. Recipient of the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition Grand Prize, Sanyo Newspaper Award, Prefectural Governor’s Award, Ichimizukai Exhibition Grand Prize, Issuikai Honorable Mention, others. Won the Tanabe Museum of Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Excellence Award, others. Selected for Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japanese Ceramics Exhibition, Chunichi International Exhibition, others. Held solo exhibitions at Maruei Nagoya, Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, others. (more…)

Koyama Shin’ichi 小山岑一

1939-maleBorn in Tokyo. Father was Koyama Fujio. As well as producing ceramics at the Kamakura Eifuku kiln, made pottery at the Hananogi kiln in Gifu prefecture (Sawa, Gotomaki, Izumi-cho, Toki ☏05725-4-6700). Recipient of Japan Ceramic Society Award, others. Primarily focused on tenmoku glaze, persimmon glaze, nanban glaze, other techniques. Member of the Japan Kogei Association. (more…)

Koyama Koji 小山弘治

1947-maleCompleted a ceramics course at Tokyo University of the Arts. Studied under Fujimoto Yoshimichi. Went independent in 1976. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Recipient of the Musashino Exhibition City of Education Award, others. Shinjuku Asahi culture lecturer. Held solo exhibitions at Kanda Urn Yoshi, Akasaka Hirotori, others. Focused primarily on color-painted porcelain. (more…)

Koyama Kihei 小山喜平

1930-malekyo potteryGraduated from the Kyoto University of Art and Design. Studied under Tomimoto Kenkichi. Later went independent. Recipient of many awards from famous public exhibitions. Member of Shin-Takumi Fine Arts Association. Primarily focused on vases and teaware using blue glaze. (more…)

Koyano Masao 小谷野雅雄

1946-malemashiko potteryBorn in Mibu, Shimotsuga-gun. Graduated from the Department of Applied Physics at Tokyo University of Science. After working as a high school teacher, joined the Mashiko Ceramics Mentoring Center in 1973. Later studied under Sakuma Totaro. Independently established Togabo in 1978. Along with making large jars, focused on tableware that could be used every day. Primarily used kneading and ash glaze. (more…)

Komiyama Hiroaki 小宮山宏明

1951-maleStudied under Munakata Ryoichi of Aizu Hongo-yaki. Later built a kiln in Shionozaki and went independent. Focused primarily on using yakishime on urns, vases, and tableware. Independent and unaffiliated. (more…)

Komine Emiko 小峰枝美子

1936-femaleStudied under Yasuhara Yoshiaki and Yoshitaka. Opened the Youzan kiln in 1972. Selected for the Nitten and Japan Contemporary Crafts Exhibition. Recipient of prefectural exhibition prizes and other honors. Did an art tour of European countries. Held solo exhibitions at Yokohama Corsho G, Akasaka G Gen, Shinjuku Alcan Shell, others. Known for producing unique decorations using inlay. (more…)

Komatsu Sachiyo 小松幸代

1950-femalemino potteryBorn in Suwa. Graduated from Musashino Art University. After working in Kasama and at the Nagoya Industrial Research Institute, studied under Watanabe Kazumasa. Built a kiln in Chino, Nagano prefecture. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Recipient of the Prefectural Sculpture Craft Exhibition Honorable Mention, Prefectural Craft Exhibition Special Award for Excellence. Held solo exhibitions at Seibu Shibuya and Kuroda Toen in Ginza. Focused primarily on Oribe and Kizeto ceramics. (more…)

Komazawa Hiroshi 駒沢博司

1951-malekasama potteryBorn in Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture. Dropped out of the Faculty of Law at Chuo University. Later trained under Takato Omiya in Mashiko and Kimura Ichiyo in Bizen. Went to Kasama, Ibaraki prefecture, in 1982 to make ceramics. Continued to promote his work based in Akasaka G Gen. Pursued avant-garde modeling with a clear sensibility. (more…)

Komagata Kyuma 駒形久磨

1944-malebizen potteryReal name Setsuo. Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture. Dropped out of the Faculty of Law at Chuo University. His desire to work creatively later drove him toward ceramics and he went to Bizen to study, then later moved to Mashiko, Echizen, Hagi, Karatsu, and Okinawa Tsuboya. Was later invited back to Bizen to train in kilns and in 1978 built a kiln and went independent. (more…)

Komagata Katsuaki 駒形克明

1957-maleBorn in Yubari, Hokkaido. Completed graduate school in crafts at Tama Art University, then worked in the craft laboratory within the same design department at that school. Studied under Toyoyama Akira of the Kobo Baku, Tsukui-gun, Kanagawa prefecture. Special selection for the Kawasaki City Exhibition and selected for prefectural exhibitions. (more…)

Kobayashi Yutaka 小林裕

1957-maleBorn in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa prefecture. Graduated from Tama Art University oil painting department. Enrolled in the ceramics department while attending school and studied under Nakamura Kinpei and Maeda Masahiro. Selected for prefectural exhibitions. Exhibited at Ginza Fuso G, Kayagasaki G, Chigasaki Group Exhibition, others. As well as objets d’art and reliefs, he mad dolls and flower vases using molding and the potter’s wheel. (more…)

Kobayashi Michio 小林三千夫

1942-malekasama potteryBorn in Kasama, Ibaraki prefecture. Primarily worked with three-dimensional modeling. Recipient of the Kita-Kanto Art Exhibition Grand Prize, others. Participated in the Sendai Ceramics Exhibition, Ibaraki Art Symposium ’79 Exhibition, Iwaki City Art Museum/Diversifying Contemporary Art Exhibition, others. Held solo exhibitions at the Ginza Muramatsu Gallery and other venues. (more…)

Kobayashi Masami 小林政美

1952-malekasama potteryBorn in Asahikawa. Studied under Nakano Akitsugu. Went independent in 1976 while working in a descending smoke French kerosene kiln. Selected for the Kofukai Exhibition and Nisshin Engineering Exhibition. Held solo exhibitions at Kyoto Maronie, Akasaka G Gen, Matsumoto G Paleo, others. Primarily worked with ash and iron glaze. (more…)

Kobayashi Bunichi 小林文一

1926-malemino potteryBorn in Toki. Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art. Studied under Kitade Tojiro and Kato Takuo. Nitten Special Selection affiliate member. Member of the Kofukai Tomo Award. Recipient of the Asahi Ceramics Award, Gifu Prefecture Arts and Culture Award. Judge for prefectural and city exhibitions. Director of Mino Tokyo. Visited the USSR, Europe and East Asia. Primarily worked on Aoi-ware. (more…)

Kobayashi Hideo 小林英夫

1951-maleGraduated from Kyoto University of the Arts and the Kyoto Industrial Research Institute. Studied under the 6th generation head Kiyomizu Rokubey. Selected for Nitten. Recipient of the Chunichi International Exhibition Honorable Mention, Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition Excellence Award, Japan New Crafts Award, All Kansai Exhibition Yomiuri Newspaper Award. (more…)

Kobayashi Toshun 小林陶春

1941-maleGraduated from Nagano High School. Went independent after time spent working at the Tajimi Design Institute in Shigaraki and Sun-t’aek Kiln in South Korea. Recipient of prefectural exhibition awards and purchases from the prefecture. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, the Japan Ceramics Exhibition, others. Held solo exhibitions at Nagano Tokyu, the Prefectural Cultural Center, Seibu Ueda, Seiran-do, Ginza Kuroda Toen, others. Member of Japan Kogei Association. Director of the Prefectural Crafts Association. Primarily focused on color inlay and ash glaze ceramics. (more…)

Kobayashi Togo 小林東五

1935-maleBorn in Kyoto. Studied Chinese literature, calligraphy and seal engraving with his father Kobayashi Zentei as know as Undonin from a young age. Based on his fascination with the Goryo Joseon dynasty, he traveled to South Korea in 1973 aiming to learn how to produce Joseon dynasty style ceramics. Rebuilt the Tsushima kiln in 1976. Held solo exhibitions in Seoul, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Nagoya Meitetsu and others. (more…)

Kobayashi Takeharu 小林武春

1943-malemino potteryBorn in Toki, Gifu prefecture. Built a bamboo forest kiln in Mino Hida in 1970. Recipient of the Toki City Exhibition Honorable Mention, others. Made his debut in Tokichi, Ebisu, Tokyo and held a Shino exhibition every year after. Held solo exhibitions at Tobu Ikebukuro, Mitsukoshi Nagoya, Daiwa Niigata, Koganei Tokichi, Shin-Gifu Department Store, others. Primarily focused on Zansetsu-Shino (Nezumi Shino) ceramics. (more…)

Kobayashi Takaaki 小林孝章

1949-malebizenBorn in Oku. Graduated from Kinki University. Studied under his relative Fujiwara Ken in 1974. Trained at Bizen Ceramics Center and Fujiwara Ceramics Research Institute. Went independent in 1983. Participant and award winner at the Traditional Crafts East Chugoku Exhibition and others. Held solo exhibitions at Okayama Tenmaya, Yokohama, and Kyoto Takashimaya. (more…)