edo period

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…)

Yokoi Sosuke 横井惣助

Late Edo period – Meiji periodmaleYokoi Sosuke was based out of Sonoicho in Nagoya, and his work primarily involved adding artwork to pottery. He created artwork for Meiji-era export pieces during the Tenpo era from 1830 to 1844, for which he requested unglazed pottery from Seto’s Kato Shigeju. He received the coveted Homon (‘phoenix’) Award at the first and second National Industrial Exhibitions. (more…)

Yoshimura Kan’a 芳村観阿

1765-1848maleYoshimura Kan’a was a master of tea ceremony and man of refined taste in Edo during the latter-Edo period.He is thought to have been a wealthy merchant who collected many antique paintings and calligraphic works. He originally lived in Kyoto, but later moved to Edo (present-day Tokyo).He is known for having made a donation from his collection to Todai-ji temple which included the donations accountbook for the reconstruction of the temple and notes about leading people to Buddhism written by Shunjobo Chogen, a prominent Japanese Buddhist monk. He also assisted Matsudaira Fumai in his collections as an advisor about tea (more…)

Yotsugi Jakusho 世継寂窓

late Edo periodYotsugi Jakusho was a prospereous merchant in Kyoto who went by the name Gifuya Hachirobe.He began learning painting from Gessen, and later modeled his style after Chinese paintings from the Yuan and Ming dynasties.He was also known as a poet and a master of tea ceremony who composed renga poems and made his own teaware. (more…)

Yokohagi Ikko 2nd 二代 横萩一光

1850-1924maleYokohagi Ikko II was born the child of Ikko I. He studied ceramics making from a young age under his father and helped assist his father’s work. In 1868, he began making Utatsu ware with his father in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1871, he inherited the Uguisudani Hisada kiln and began making his own pottery (some argue that he began making pottery at the Uguisudani kiln around 1879). Later, he would give Uguisudani kiln to Nozaki Sakichi. After teaching ceramics making from 1882 to 1883 upon receiving an invitation to do so from the makers of Ango ware in Etchu (more…)

Yokohagi Ikko 1st 初代 横萩一光

1807-1882maleYokohagi Ikko was from Etchu Province (present-day Toyama Prefecture). From around 1830 to 1844, he received an invitation from the daimyo of the Toyama Domain, Maeda Toshiyasu, to work as a Karatsu ware maker. During this time, he received the artist name “Ikko”. Afterward, around 1862, he would receive a similar request from Maeda Nariyasu, the daimyo of the neighboring Kaga Domain, and he would begin making Karatsu ware as an official ceramics maker for the clan. In 1858, he also helped assist porcelain manufacturing of Hanyu ware and Chikutei ware.Yokohagi Ikko made porcelain in Kyoto for a time when (more…)

Yokoi Kinkoku 横井金谷

1761-1832malekinkoku potteryYokoi Kinkoku was born in Otsu in Omi Province (present-day Shiga prefecture). He studied painting in Kyoto under Otsu Buson. Afterward, he headed to Nagoya, where he became the chief priest at Daiho-in Temple, creating teaware and other ceramics on the side. He is the founder of Kinkoku ware. (more…)

Yamaguchi Kotaro 山口幸太郎

Bakumatsu or Meiji period – ?maleMainly fired unglazed Dehua porcelain under the artist name Sanko in a old kin. Provided painters with the works that he created, which were mainly toilets and nested boxes. (more…)

Yamamoto Minmatsu 山下民松

end of edo period or Meiji period – ?malekutani porcelainNo details are known other than that he had a factory in Bentencho, Yokohama in the Meiji era and painted Yokohama ware. Stocked unglazed pottery from Kawamoto Masukichi from Seto and others and mainly excelled at painting the customs of the Edo period and warriors. Supported the popularity of Yokohama ware through elegant painting that incorporated elements of gold painted Kutani ware and was popular overseas. (more…)

Yamamoto Shoun 山本祥雲

1867-?From Kanagawa Prefecture. Received an Honorable Mention at the 4th National Industrial Exhibition in 1895 and won an award at the Yokohama Ceramic Painting Society Spring Fair in 1899. Won the 2nd Place Award at the Tokyo Ceramic Society’s 9th Workshop Exhibition in 1903 and the 3rd Place Award at the 10th Workshop Exhibition in 1904.There is a high likelihood that he was the ceramic painter of Hyochien (Fukagawa, Tokyo), given that he lived near this studio, but this has not been confirmed. (more…)

Yasuda Kisaburo 安田喜三郎

Around the Late Edo Period-Meiji Eramalekyo-satsuma potteryPotter from Awataguchi, Kyoto. According to the Chronological Table of Awataguchi, the 1st generation exhibited at the Amsterdam Exposition in 1883 together with Taizan Yohei, Kinkozan Sobei, and others and won an award.The 2nd generation Kisaburo passed away in 1915, and the 3rd generation passed away in 1978 at the age of 80, ending the Yasuda lineage of pottery.Work style is based on Kyo-Satsuma ware, and left elaborate works that use a relatively large amount of gold glazing. (more…)

Yabu Meizan 藪明山

1853-1934maleosaka-satsuma potteryBorn as the 2nd son of Yabu Chosui, the painter from Osaka. Temporarily succeeded his grandfather Yabu Sukezaemon and lived in Fukura, Awaji, but studied Satsuma ceramic painting in Tokyo for half a year in 1880. After returning to Osaka, established a ceramic painting studio in Nakanoshima, Kita, Osaka. Started making Satsuma ware-style ceramics and selling them to the United States. These became very popular, and he started receiving orders directly from the United States. Moved to Dojima in 1889 and expanded the business further. Later succeeded in establishing overseas export routes through the Yamanaka Shokai Trading Company from (more…)

Mori Yusetsu 森有節

1808-1882malebanko potteryAfter being invited to restore Banko ware by Yamada Hikoemon, a relative of Nunami Rozan of Banko ware, started a kiln in Obuke, Asahi and started making ceramics that came to be known as Yusetsu Banko ware.Used wooden models to make ceramics, which was an innovative technique at the time, and also introduced new methods, such as pink and black glazes. Received the equivalent of the annual rice stipend of 5 people from Matsudaira, the feudal lord and Governor of Ecchu Province. Was exempted from the right to bear a surname and wear a sword in 1864 and served (more…)

Mori Suiho 森翠峰

1865-1932banko potteryServed as a politician (Diet member) for his main occupation, but engaged in restoring Ko-Banko ware in 1915 around the age of 50. Started Tokaen in Masuo near Kuwana. Gathered the artisan Fujii Toraku, the painter Hayashi Yoshio, the potter’s wheel artisan Uchida Shozan, and other artisans to manufacture quality products at low prices. Left tea bowl masterpieces made by their own. Received the signature of the master of the Matsuo school from Nagoya.The 2nd generation succeeded Shigeo after them passing, but the kiln closed in 1934. (more…)

Mori Koshu 森香洲

1855-1921malemushiake potteryPotter of Mushiake ware, which had been created from before as the commissioned pottery of the Igi family, the chief retainer of the Okayama Domain. Thrived from around the Bakumatsu to the Taisho era.Together with his father Mori Kakutaro, who received a kiln from Makuzu Chozo, who had come to provide ceramic instruction, received instruction from the 1st generation Makuzu Kozan, Chozo’s son who was also invited to provide ceramic instruction of the Mushiake ware style in 1868. Received a kanji from Kozan to start making ceramics under the artist name of Koshu. Although the kiln of the Igi (more…)

Meiho 鳴鳳

Late Edo Period – ?koto porcelainOne of the representative painters of the Koto ware Hikone Domain kiln. Originally was a samurai serving a temple in Kyoto, but moved to Hikone with his wife and children around 1850 and is said to have started painting Koto ware after receiving special treatment from the feudal lord Ii Naosuke. Excelled most in elaborate red paintings with gold glaze. Frequently used patterns of the Chinese phoenix, dolls dressed in ancient Chinese clothing, and sages. Is said to have moved to Ise several years later. (more…)

Miyata Kameju 宮田亀寿

Late Edo period-Meiji periodmalezuishi potteryBorn in the late Edo period in Kyoto. Son of Miyata kumakichiro (an apprentice of Wake Kitei), a potter at Gojozaka who contributed considerably to the founding of Kyoto’s blue-white ceramics industry. He learned the techniques involved with blue-white ceramics from his father and remained active working with this form under the name Furoken from the end of the Edo period into the Meiji period. In the first year of Meiji (1868), he was invited by Wakayama Zuishi-yaki to produce blue-white porcelain, where he contributed to the development of other potters. Many of the designs on (more…)

Mizuno Koho 水埜香甫

Late Edo period-Meiji periodA potter from the workshop of Kanzan Denshichi renowned for Koho’s outstanding drawing and painting, particularly of flowers, birds and people. Denshichi was awarded silver medals at both the Japanese First National Industrial Exhibition in 1877 and Paris Exposition Universelle in 1879, both of which for works said to have been painted by Koho. After going independent, Koho frequently painted porcelain that had been fired in other workshops. (more…)

Miwa Kyusetsu 8th 八代 三輪休雪

1839-1921malehagi potteryReal name Dorosuke, worked under the name Setsuzan. He was the son of Gentaemon Toshioki, 7th generation head of the Hagi-ware producing Miwa family. Succeeded his father as 8th generation Kyusetsu in 1865. Transferred the family to the 9th generation Setsudo in 1896 when he retired. Aside from his work as a potter, he was a loyal member of the Kiheitai militia under the Choshu samurai Takasugi Shinsaku during the Bakumatsu period, fighting in support of the Emperor against the Tokugawa shogunate. (more…)