Japanese potters

Fukami Sueharu 深見陶治

1947-maleFrom Kyoto. In 1967, selected for Japan Art Exhibition and many exhibitions after that. In 1984, won a special commendation at Japan Art Exhibition. The Art Festival “GENTEN” Memorial Award. Kyoto Mayor Award, and served as a judge. Nihon Shinkogei Exhibition Member Award. Chunichi International Exhibition of Ceramic Arts Grand Prix. Gold Award at “Premio Faenza” – The International Competition of Ceramic Art. 2019 Kyoto City Prize for Young Artists, etc. Personal exhibitions at Asahi Gallery Seihakuji (the Pale Blue glaze). (more…)

Fukada Tsunehiro 深田恒弘

1937-maleKibitsu, Okayama City. From 1960, studied under the first Uno Souyou. In 1967, he came back to his hometown and became independent. Received Okayama Prefecture Art Exhibition Sanyo Newspaper Award, among others. Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition’s Chairman’s Award and The Chairman of a Local Branch Award. Kaneshige Toyo Award. Okayama Prefecture and City Honorable Mention. The Prefecture Person of Social Educational and Cultural Merit. Selected for many exhibitions including Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition and JAPAN CERAMIC ART EXHIBITION. Personal exhibitions at Okayama Takashimaya Department Store, Tenmanya Department Store, Ginza Mitsukoshi Department Store, etc. Mainly works with Hekiyu, celadon, (more…)

Hiwatashi Toroku 樋渡陶六

1913-2009maleFrom Tobe, Ehime Prefecture. Graduated from Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Minami High School, Tobe Branch. Learned from Terauchi Shinichi while he was in school. Later studied at Kakiemon kiln in Arita. Became independent (or went on his own) in 1955. Received awards including Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition NHK Award. An official member of Japan Kogei Association. Appointed as an important intangible cultural property of Yamauchi-cho in 1983. (more…)

Hironaka Syudo 弘中秀道

1942-maleFrom Hikari, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Aspired to make pottery by studying under masters in various fields. Over ten years experience of making porcelain. Mainly works with Hagigusuri and Tenmoku Yohen. (more…)

Wakao Kei 若尾経

1967-maleWakao Kei was born the first son of ceramic artist Wakao Toshisada. He graduated from the Department of Photography in the College of Art at Nihon University in 1993. In 1995, he completed training at the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center. Two years later, his work was accepted into the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. He went on to win a prize of excellence at the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition, a bronze medal at the International Ceramics Festival in Mino, and first prize at Kanazawa Wan One. He is currently holding solo exhibitions all around Japan. (more…)

Wakabayashi Kisaku 若林喜作

Late Edo periodmalekoto porcelainWakabayashi Kisaku worked on Koto ware, and from the Meiji era was active as a renowned potter who worked at Kanzan Denshichi (Kato Kanzan)’s kiln. He took on the trade name “Juzan” and opened his own kiln after Denshichi’s kiln was closed down. (more…)

Wakuta Rakunyu 和久田楽入

1928-?For many years, Wakuta Rakunyu worked at Senryu-ji temple in the Higashiyama Ward of Kyoto, where he produced cooking ware using his own improved Tenmoku-style jet-black glazes as well as high-quality ceramics, including small pots and earthenware teapot steamers, which featured hidasuki (‘reddish firing markings’). In 1981, he received certification as a highly-skilled traditional craftman. He later closed down his kiln. (more…)

Wakunami Soryu 3rd 三代 涌波蘇嶐

1951-femalekyo potteryWakunami Soryu III was the wife of Wakunami Soryu II. She inherited her title as the third generation Wakunami Soryu in 1998 following her husband’s death in 1994, and thereafter put forth full efforts in pottery.She creates flower vases, tea bowls, pots, and more in celadon porcelain, white porcelain, and mishimade styles. (more…)

Wakunami Soryu 2nd 二代 涌波蘇嶐

1942-1994kyo potteryWakunami Soryu II was born the child of Wakunami Soryu I. He was familiar with ceramics from a young age, and naturally walked down the art’s path.After graduating from the ceramic arts department at Hiyoshigaoka High School in Kyoto City, he studied glazes at the Kyoto City Industrial Arts Training Center. Afterward, he apprenticed under his father, and also received guidance from Kusube Yaichi. He presented works at various ceramic art exhibitions, including the Nitten Exhibition, the Kyoto City Art Exhibition, and the Contemporary Art and Crafts Exhibition. He died a sudden death at the young age of 52. (more…)

Wakunami Soryu 1st 初代 涌波蘇嶐

1907-1979malekyo potteryWakunami Soryu was from Ishikawa Prefecture. He apprenticed under first-generation Suwa Sozan, and studied planning at the Kyoto City School of Arts.After going independent, his works were accepted for presentation at the Nitten Exhibition, as well as several different kinds of commercial art and industrial art exhibitions, where he won numerous awards. He possessed considerable skill in his craft, and was able to donate tableware to Ise Grand Shrine in 1952.His works mainly consist of tea bowls and pots. He was especially skilled with celadon porcelain and white porcelain. (more…)

Wakimoto Genan 脇本玄庵

1893-1980malehagi potteryIn 1946, Wakimoto Genan opened a Hagi ware kiln which incorporated a traditional Hagi style together with the feel of Joseon and Goryeo pottery in Katsuzaka, Hofu (a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture). Joining him in this venture was his older brother, Wakimoto Rakushiken (the former vice director of Tokyo National Museum), Kawase Chikushun I, and porcelain ware scholar Koyama Fujio. It was mainly Genan who produced works at the kiln. Mori Motomichi, the former daimyo of the Mori clan, named the works created here “Katsuzaka ware” after the name of the place the kiln was based in. Wakimoto Genan (more…)

Wada Morihiro 和太守卑良

1944-2008malekasama potteryWada Morihiro met Tomimoto Kenkichi while studying at the previous incarnation of what is now the Kyoto City University of Arts, and received a request after graduation from the university’s president, Nagasaki Taro, to restore an old kiln in Aki, Kochi Prefecture. Later, in 1977, and established a kiln in the city of Kasama in Ibaraki Prefecture.From 1975, he presented works every time during the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, and from 1980 he also began having works accepted every time in the Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition. In 1983, he became an official member of the Japan Kogei Association. In (more…)

Watano Kichiji 綿野吉二

1860-1934malekutani porcelainWatano Kichiji was from Terai in Kaga Province (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). His family had worked producing Kutani ware for generations, but began making works for export starting with his father, Genemon. Watano established a direct export route to Paris and, in 1876, opened a branch location in Kobe. In 1880, he moved the branch location to Yokohama and established overseas exports of ceramics bearing aka-e (‘red paintings’) and gold-leafed Kutani ware. He also added a kiln dedicated to applying printed figures to the main kiln in Terai, Kanazawa. This kiln was named “Tenraido,” and had 40 ceramic artwork painters (more…)

Watanabe Iwasuke 渡辺岩助

1872-1933maleWatanabe Iwasuke was born into the house of a doctor who served the Owari Tokugawa family under the old feudal system, but he did not succeed his father in the family business. Instead, he aspired to do what he had always had interest in and become a potter. He learned the ceramics making craft under Kato Kakutaro of Seto, and also headed to a Mino ware kiln to further study porcelain making techniques.In 1910, he began making Tsukimi ware at Tsukimizaka, Kakuozan in the village of Higashiyama in Aichi District, Aichi Prefecture (Higashiyama in Chikusa Ward, Nagoya).The kiln was later (more…)

Gottfried Wagener

1831-1891maleGottfried Wagener was from Hanover, Germany. After majoring in science and graduating from a German university, he traveled to Nagasaki in 1868. There, in 1870, he was invited by Lord Nabeshima of Saga to work at the Arita Porcelain Production Factory, where he contributed by teaching scientific methods to create glazes and also by experimenting with coal-fueled kilns. He later moved to Tokyo, where he held successive positions at several different schools teaching physics and chemistry. On the side, he was also involved with administrative duties for exhibitions at the first 1873 Vienna World’s Fair. Beginning with Tokyo, he traveled (more…)

Wake Kitei 和気亀亭

1826-1902maleWake Kitei was born the first son of Kameyatai Yoshiro, part of a family who had worked as potters for generations. He studied pottery from a young age and, in 1862, at the age of 36, he inherited headship of the family. He took on the surname Wake in 1868 and was officially named Wake Heikichi, but he is generally referred to by his trade name, Wake Kitei.In 1873, he assumed a position serving at the Kyoto Prefectural Auditorium for exhibitions, and, in addition to presenting works at domestic exhibitions, he also received bronze medals at the 1876 World’s Fair (more…)

Watanabe Yujitsuan 渡部又日庵

1792-1871maleraku potteryWatanabe Yujitsuan was from Okutono in Owari Province (present-day Okutonocho in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture).He was born the second son of Osumi Province mayor Noritomo, who was part of the Matsudaira family. He became the adoptive heir to his uncle, Watanabe Hanzo-tsunamitsu, and took on the surname Watanabe. Afterward, he governed the Terabe region in Mikawa Province (the eastern part of present-day Aichi Prefecture) as the 10th-generation castle lord.He had an affinity for tea ceremony and, after ending his time living in seclusion, he set up a hut in Ozone, Nagoya, where he adopted the artist name “Yujitsuan” and began (more…)

Janet Leach

1918-1997femaleJanet Leach was active as a sculptor in New York, and later became a potter, learning at a pottery in the city’s neighborhood of Inwood.To further improve her knowledge of the ceramic arts, she also attended a summer course at Alfred University in 1950.During that time, figures such as as Yanagi Muneyoshi, Hamada Shoji, and Bernard Leach had begun the folk art movement, and Japanese craftsmen were in America for lectures. It was by attending such lectures that Janet Leach was introduced to and moved by Hamada’s works.She also began interacting with Bernard Leach, whose influence helped secure her an (more…)

Raku Doraku 楽道楽

Early Edo periodmaleminato potteryRaku Doraku’s real name was Tanaka Chuemon. He was the younger brother of Donyu III in the Raku family. He lived a dissipated life when he was young, and went to Izumi Province (present-day Osaka) to open up a kiln in 1656. He is believed to have created the fundamentals of Minato ware.He did not have any children, so he called upon the illegitimate child of Ichinyu IV, Yahei (Ichigen), from Kyoto to carry on the kiln. (more…)

Rakushite Kasuke 楽只亭嘉介

Late Edo periodmaleRakushite Kasuke was a potter in Kyoto whose date of birth and date of death are unknown. After apprenticing under Okuda Eisen, he studied under Hozan Bunzo and learned how to make Cochin ware. His skill in making such homages was without equal, and they were so great they could be mistaken for the the original pieces. He mainly made incense containers, tea pots, and green teaware, but very few of his works remain. He is believed to have had a pottery in the Saga area in Kyoto. (more…)