Japanese potters

Kobayashi Suezo 小林末三

1912- 1986malemino potteryHanded over management of his tile factory to his son in 1975 in order to focus on making his own ceramics. Chairman of Kasahara Ceramics Club. Wide range of ceramic types from kizeto and celadon and Turkish blue to tenmoku and Oribe. Member of the Mino Ceramics Association. (more…)

Kobayashi Kunimitsu 小林久仁光

1939-maleiga potteryProducer of Iga-ware from noborigama (climbing kilns) and charcoal kilns. The first such kiln was fired up by Hashimoto Gyoin, president of Yakushiji Temple in Nara. Studied under Nakatsuka Zenji. Member of Iga Ceramics Association and Japanese Association of Arts and Crafts. Director of the Iga branch of the Japan Ceramic Society. Omotesenke tea ceremony regional lecturer, participant and award winner at many creative art exhibitions and local exhibitions. Held solo and group exhibitions at Yokohama Takashimaya. Primarily focused on glazed Kamogawa stone and pine charcoal firing, as well as Iga teaware with natural glaze. (more…)

Kobayashi Kunio 小林邦夫

1930-maleBorn in Tokyo. Built a kiln in 1972. Studied under Esaki Toshio. Participant and award winner at the Nifu Exhibition (Later Managing Director of the same exhibition). Selected for the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition, Chunichi International Exhibition, Tokai Traditional Crafts Exhibition, others. Member of the Japanese Kogei Association, Tokai Branch. Primarily focused on iron glazed teaware. (more…)

Kobayashi Seiji 小林征児

1945-malekasama potteryBorn in Mito. After working at the Nagoya Industrial Research Institute, studied teaware in Hagi. Moved a kiln from Daigo-cho to Kasama, later opening the Saigama kiln in Kasama. Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition and Japan Ceramics Exhibition. Held solo exhibitions at Wako Ginza, Minami Aoyama Green G, others. Primarily focused on inlaid decorative art. (more…)

Kobayashi Kazumasa 小林一雅

1932-maleBorn in Kyoto. Studied under Kawai Einosuke. Trained at the Kyoto Craft Mentoring Center. Went independent in 1976. Winner of the Shinnichibi Exhibition Honorable Award, now a member of the association. Selected for Nitten, Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition, others. Judge for the Kishiwada City Exhibition. Primarily focused on persimmon tenmoku, celadon, Jun-ware ceramics. Member of the Shishokai. (more…)

Kobayashi Kazuma 小林和馬

1930-maleOpened Seizan-toen kiln in Kosugi, Mie Prefecture in 1967. Selected for the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition in 1975, after which his celadon flower vases have won prizes twice at the Mie Prefectural Exhibition. Selected for the Shinnichi-bi Exhibition. Primarily focused on Japanese dishes and tableware made from celadon with plum blossom inlay. Member of Japan New Crafts Tokai Branch. (more…)

Kobayashi Isao 小林勲生

1955-maleBorn in Tokyo. Began making ceramics at 14 years old. Graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1979 with a dual major in traditional craft history and ceramics, after which he presided over Musashino Toen. Primarily focused on green matte glazed tableware. Held a solo exhibition at Tokyo Daimaru. (more…)

Kobanawa Tadao 小華和忠夫

1915-?maleBorn in Sakata. Worked at Aizu Hongo before entering the Kyoto National Ceramics Research Institute, where he studied under Sawamura Shigeo. Later studied under the first generation head Miyagawa Tozan. Built a kiln in 1961 after finishing work at the Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute. Founding director of the Prefectural Ceramics Association and member of Shinkyo. Primarily focused on iron glaze, black glaze and Jun-ware ceramics. (more…)

Konishi Yohei 小西洋平

1941-maletokoname potteryEldest son of Yusen. Graduated from Tokoname High School. Selected for many Japanese traditional craft exhibitions. Recipient of the Tokai Traditional Crafts Exhibition Honorable Mention, Valoris International Exhibition Silver Award. Member of the Japan Kogei Association. Judge for the Sankei Members Award. Participant and award winner at the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, Chunichi International Exhibition, others. Held many solo exhibitions at Shinjuku Seikado, Shizuoka Matsuzakaya, others. (more…)

Konishi Yusen 小西友仙

1913-?maletokoname potteryElder statesman of Tokoname ceramics who mentored many young apprentices. Selected for the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, Shinshokai Expedition, others. Recipient of the Brussels Expo Grand Prix, other honors. (more…)

Konishi Tozo 小西陶蔵

1947-malebizen potteryBorn in Inbe. Grandson of Konishi Toko I. Graduated from Nihon University. Went independent in 1975. Recipient of the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition Mayor’s Award, Japan Kogei Association Branch Exhibition Sanyo Newspaper Award, Prefectural Superintendent of Education Award, Honorable Mention, Chunichi International Exhibition Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, others. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Ceramics Exhibition, others. Member of the Japan Kogei Association. (more…)

Kotoge Katsuyoshi 小峠葛芳

1946-malekyo potteryBorn in Himeji. Studied under Miyagawa Kosai (whose uncle was Makuzu Kozan) and Shimaoka Tatsuzo of Mashiko. Built a kiln in Uji’s Sumiyama in 1974. Recipient of the Mayor’s Award for Kyo-ware/Kiyomizu-ware, other honors. Participant and award winner at the Japan Kogei Association Kinki Exhibition, Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Ceramics Exhibition, others. Solo exhibitions at Kintetsu Osaka, others. Member of the Japan Kogei Association. Primarily focused on Shigaraki, Iga, Ninsei and Shonzui teaware. (more…)

Goto Masuki 後藤益来

1911- ?Graduated from Waseda University. Began making ceramics while working at a company. Built his own kiln after retiring and went independent. Over 50 solo exhibitions. (more…)

Goto Rokuzan 後藤祿山

1930-maleBorn in Yonezawa, Yamagata prefecture. Dropped out of Nihon University College of Art. Successfully self-taught himself to produce leaf-inlayed tenmoku ceramics in 1982. Retired as Rokugo post office postmaster in Yonezawa at the age of 50, aiming to focus full-time on ceramics production. Completed Aichi Prefecture Ceramics Vocational Training School in 1983 and built a kiln in Kamakura. Leaf-inlayed tenmoku teaware was later dubbed “Hakukijin” by the writer Hiraiwa Yumie. The leaves used are mainly from local muku (oriental elm) trees. Primarily focused on teaware with black and white leaf-inlayed tenmoku. Held solo exhibitions at Ginza Kuroda Toen. (more…)

Goto Yasutake 五島保孟

1941-maleBorn in Naruto, Tokushima prefecture. Graduated from Tama Art University oil painting department. Later aspired to work in ceramics and studied at the Sekizawa kiln in Mashiko under Kitamura Hokudo at the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramics Mentoring Center and simultaneously under Amemiya Takashi. Built a kiln in Hikoma, Tochigi Prefecture in 1971. Studied under the sculptor Nandor Wagner in Mashiko in 1972. Avid visitor to ancient ruins around the world. Focused primarily on ceramic walls. (more…)

Goto Tetsu 五島哲

1941-maleechizen potteryBorn in Fukui prefecture. Studied color dyeing for 3 years and flower arrangement for 4 years. Studied under Kato Sho in Seto in 1963. Later studied under Kitano Shichizaemon in Fukui and went to South Korea as a trainee at the Fukui Ceramics Research Institute and studied under Fan Tyon Ryu at Ewha Women’s University. Went independent in 1972. Group exhibition with Teshigahara Hiroshi. First solo exhibition in South Korea. Worked in the Echizen tradition with celadon glaze, mishima-de, and hakeme (brushed ceramics). (more…)

Goto Shigeyuki 後藤滋之

1947-maleMainly produced inlaid celadon, tableware and vases as powdered celadon, mishima-de and kizeto ceramics. Began producing the vessels he used in 1972, studying later under Banura Shiro in Ayama, Mie prefecture. Held a solo exhibition of kyusu teapots and yunomi teacups in 1984. (more…)

Goto Shigeo 後藤茂夫

1950-malemashiko potteryBorn in Nasu-gun, Tochigi prefecture. Studied under Yasuda Takeshi. Went independent in 1972. Primarily made tableware through mixing cosmetic clay, candy glaze, iron glaze, and salt glaze in the kiln. Selected for the New Traditional Crafts Exhibition and Musashino Exhibition. Held solo exhibitions at Tobu Ikebukuro, Kappou Shitatsuzumi, others. (more…)

Koto Koji 厚東孝治

1936-malehagi potteryBorn in Yamaguchi prefecture. Graduated from Yamaguchi University. Studied under Yoshika Taibi. Selected first for the 1962 Nitten Exhibition. Later worked at Kagoshima University where he became a professor. Nitten special selection by fellow members. Judge for the Nikkei Exhibition Contemporary Craft Award. Hyundai Komikyo auditor. Solo exhibitions at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi and others. Focused on irabo and ash kiln glaze ceramics. (more…)

Koto Kenshin 厚東建信

1947-malehagi potteryBron in Hagi. Opened a kiln in 1971. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition on consecutive occasions. Member of the Japan Kogei Association. Selected for the Japan Ceramics Exhibition, work purchased by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other honors. Held solo exhibitions at Iwataya Fukuoka, Shinjuku Isetan, Seibu Ikebukuro, others. Primarily focused on Shirohagi, Onihagi, neriage, and ash coated ceramics. (more…)