Japanese potters

Ando Koichi 安藤光一

1934-maleHe is active in Mino, focusing on crafts. He is one of the main members of the group Sodeisha. His father is Ando Chizan, who was the first director of the Toki City Ceramics Experiment Station. He is a member of the Japan Craft Designers’ Association. (more…)

Awa Sachio 安房幸男

1945-maleHe was born in Osaka and worked at Shigaraki and Tamba in 1972. In 1952, he built his own kiln in Osaka. He moved to Uji, Kyoto in 1982. His work was selected for the Kansai Fine Arts Exhibition, the Shinshou Kogei Association Exhibition, the Traditional Crafts Kinki Branch Exhibition, and the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. A two-man exhibition of pottery and woodwork at the Osaka Mitsukoshi Department Store and others. His works are mainly yuteki tenmoku, carbonized unglazed ware and aka-e. He is a member of Japan Kogei Association. (more…)

Ariyama Reiseki 有山禮石

1949-malesatsuma potteryAlso as known as Ariyama Chotaro the 3rd. Focuses on black Satsuma ware. His works have been purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A regular at the Nitten. Awarded the Yomiuri West Prize at the Japan New Craft Exhibition. Member of Kofukai. Received the Prime Minister’s Award at the Kagoshima Ceramic Art Exhibition. (more…)

Ariyama Choyu 有山長佑

1935-malesatsuma potteryAlso as known as Ariyama Chotaro the 4th. Graduated from Tama Art University. Awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize at the Kagoshima Ceramic Art Exhibition and others. Judge at the Japan New Craft Exhibition. His works have been purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. A councilor of the Japan Federation of New Craft Artists and a member of the Japan Artisans’ Association. (more…)

Arita Toshiaki 有田俊明

1930-maleThe Ako kiln, founded by the first generation Oshima Koya in Banshuu at the end of the Edo period, was abolished before the war. He learned this technique of unglazed pottery that changes color in the kiln, and in 1986 he built the Akashugama kiln and succeeded as Ako ware’s fourth generation. He was successful in designing his own kiln by researching the kiln structure to artificially produce patterns on the surface of stoneware through firing techniques. He mainly deals with tea ceremony ceramics. (more…)

Arata Koji 荒田耕治

1937-malekasama potteryBorn in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Studied at the Ibaraki Prefectural Ceramic Art Institute. After working at Toujinsha, which was headed by Inoue Ryosai, he build a kiln in 1943. His scraped reliefs in the style of the Chinese Cizhou kiln are highly regarded. He creates unique designs by sketching objects. (more…)

Araki Yoshitaka 荒木義隆

1942-maleStudied under Kawashima Kozo in Gojozaka, Kyoto. He became independent in Yamashina in 1966. Later, he participated in the establishment of the Sumiyama Craft Village, moved his studio to Uji, built a climbing kiln in Kasatori in 1974, and named it Shihan Kiln. Solo exhibitions have been held at Keio Shinjuku and Tachi-kichi, Ginza and others. (more…)

Araki Mikijiro 荒木幹二郎

1929-malesatsuma potteryCreator of Naoshirokawa ware and Satsuma ware. Worked at Araki pottery. In 1946, he took over the family business in Naoshirokawa. Since 1953, he has been awarded prizes at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition, and Seibu Arts and Crafts Exhibition. He is a member of the Prefectural Art Association. He is a regular member of the Japan Art Crafts Association. (more…)

Araki Takako 荒木高子

1921-2004femaleMoved to the United States in 1961 and studied sculpture at the New York Art Student League. Upon returning to Japan, she established a kiln in Koyoen in 1963 and began creating pottery.She has presented at exhibitions in Japan and overseas since the mid 1970s, including the Japan Ceramics Exhibition in 1979 where she received the Best Piece Award and the 27th Annual Faenza International Ceramics Exhibition. She also received the 4th Annual Iue Cultural Works Award, continually winning awards. She also held solo exhibitions at the Evason Museum in New York in 1987, the Otani Memorial Museum in Nishinomiya (more…)

Arakawa Takeo 荒川武夫

1913-2012malemino potteryIn 1933, he helped his father Arakawa Toyozo’s kiln in Oogaya, Tajimi. After the war, he moved to this area to produce pottery. Served as a potters’ representative at the Mino Ceramic Society. (more…)

Arao Hiroshi 荒尾寛

1950-maleyunotsu potteryStudied under Kawai Kanjiro. Built his kiln in 1969 with his father. Established a kiln in Yunotsu, Shimane prefecture.Yunotsu potteryIt began in 1704 and prospered greatly, mainly by making water bottles called “hando,” which were shipped to various parts of Japan. In the 1960s, the pottery declined for a time due to the development of chemical products (plastics) and the inability to meet demand, but since then, the kiln has been revived and production activities have been conducted again. Iwami clay, which is highly refractory, is used and fired at high temperatures (1,300°C), making it hard and unbreakable. This (more…)

Arai Makoto 荒井誠

1949-maleStudied under Yasumoto Shozo in 1979. While studying pottery techniques, he taught pottery making to school children at the Kusabue no Oka Pottery School in Sakura City. In 1983, he exhibited his work at the Chiba Prefectural Art Exhibition for the first time and received the Sakura Mayor’s Prize. Later, his work was selected for the Traditional Craft New Work Exhibition and others. He pursues his own unique style, combining Bunmoku patterns and candy glaze. (more…)

Amino Masayoshi 網野雅祥

1933-maleBorn in Shimonoseki City. Graduated from Yawata University. Taught at a private high school in Kita-Kyushu, and later became a potter. Trained at Ikeuchi-yaki in Miyazaki, Shofu-yaki in Shimonoseki, Futakawa-yaki in Omuta, and Ikkoji-yaki in Kuma. Later, he became independent. A wild man who has no use for watches and telephones. (more…)

Amari Hiroshi 甘利紘

1943-maleGraduated from the Industrial Design Department of the Kanazawa Institute of Technology. Worked as a designer at Okura Art China and later studied under Matsushina Hiroaki. In 1968, he built a kiln in the pottery complex in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, and moved to Komoro, Nagano Prefecture, in 1951. Awarded a prize at the Mainichi Ceramic Art Exhibition and others. (more…)

Amabe Kimiko 海部公子

1939-femalekutani porcelainStudied under Hazama Inosuke. Painted large plates, cases and bowls in her teacher’s restored Kutani-yaki Suisaka kiln. Awarded the “Issuikai Prize” and others. (more…)

Amano Midori 天野緑

1953-femaleGraduated from the Department of Ceramics, Tokyo University of the Arts in 1976. Selected for the Japan Modern Craft Exhibition and the Faenza International Ceramics Exhibition, Italy. Special Prize at the New Zealand Ceramics Competition. Solo exhibitions in Tokyo and Kyoto. Mainly specializes in ceramic walls, vases, and yellow-glazed black glaze. (more…)

Amano Tatsuo 天野達夫

1932-malekyo potteryGraduated from Kyoto Municipal Technical High School. Studied under Kiyomizu Rokubey and Shinkai Kanzan. Regularly selected for the Nitten exhibition. Awarded numerous prizes at the Kyo-Ten Exhibition, Japan New Craft Exhibition, and Kansai Integrated Arts Exhibition. A member of the Nitten exhibition, the Japan New Craft Exhibition, the Kyoto Hanka Clappu, and Kyoto Art and Craftsmen’s Association. He is also member of the Kyoto Hanka Clapp Group and the Kyoto Art and Crafts Artists Association. (more…)

Amano Otoji 天野音治

1928-maleAt first, he worked as an assistant to Ogawa Yukihiko, and in 1979 he built a Amane kiln in Aoga. Won the Silver Prize at the International Ceramics Festival. Awarded at the Issuikai Exhibition, the Japan New Craft Exhibition, the Tokai Traditional Craft Exhibition, the Asian Modern Art Exhibition, and others. (more…)

Abe Yuko 阿部祐工

1924-maleBorn in Ehime, Japan. Graduated from the Nihon University College of Art. Studied under Hamada Shoji. Later, and later trained in Saijo, Tobe, and Bizen. He has participated in the research for the folk art of Tobe ware along with Yanagi Soetsu, Bernard Leach, and Hazama Shoji. Established a kiln in Kawachi-gama in Kitakyushu in 1969 and in Yawata in 1966. A leading figure in folk pottery and a member of the National Painting Society. (more…)