edo period

Miyagawa Chohei (Makuzu Chozo 2nd) 宮川長平 (ニ代 真葛長造)

?-1860malemushiake potterymakuzu potteryBorn the eldest son of Miyagawa Chozo, founder of Makuzu-ware, his younger brother became the first Makuzu Kozan. Records show him working in the Mushiake kiln with his father until his father died and he inherited the family name as 2nd generation Chozo, but he died just three months after that, meaning that he left very few posthumous works behind. His work area, seal, and boxes were all the same as the work of his father. His eldest son, Hannosuke, followed the 2nd generation Miyagawa Kozan. (more…)

Miwa Kyusetsu 9th 九代 三輪休雪

1868-1953malehagi potteryThe Potter’s title is Miwa Setusdo. Born in Hagi, Yamaguchi prefecture, as the 9th generation of the Miwa family who have been engaged in Hagi-ware production for the former Hagi clan for many generations. He is also known for being the father of the 10th generation Kyusetsu (Kyuwa) and 11th generation (Jusetsu), who both became living national treasures. Produced traditional Hagi-ware faithfully including tastefully constructed tea-ware, which was known under the name Kyusetsu well into the early Showa period until he retired in 1945, after which it was produced under the new name Setsudo. (more…)

Mizukoshi Yosobei 2nd 二代 水越与三兵衛

Late Edo period-1845malekoto porcelainAs with his predecessor, the exact birth date for the 2nd generation Yosobei are unknown, but he was the son of the 1st generation Yosobei and inherited the family business. While his work was not held in such esteem as that of his father, he inherited a general artistic touch, with a reputation for images of pine trees as well as colored porcelain featuring flower petals blurred with blue-white or green glaze. Due to his skills with blue-white porcelain, he was invited to the Hikone Koto-ware kiln and Himeji-han domain kiln and was engageed in ceramics production (more…)

Mizukoshi Yosobei 1st 初代 水越与三兵衛

Late Edo periodmaleA potter in Kyoto during the Bunka period (1804-1818), he was born the son of Sugiura Nizo, a wealthy merchant from Sanjo, Kyoto, but took on the surname Mizukoshi from his mother’s side. Developed a passion for ceramics at a young age and, after training with ceramics in Okazaki, opened a kiln in Gojo. In the beginning, he worked on producing copies of various kilns such as Nanban, Karatsu, Hagi and Kizeto, but from 1802 onward, he worked in opposition to Imari-ware alongside Nin’ami Dohachi and Wake Kitei to produce Kiyomizu-ware, leaving behind exquisite works in blue-white and (more…)

Miyagawa Kosai 2nd 二代 宮川香斎

1846-1922malemakuzu potteryAdopted by the 1st Miyagawa Kosai when he was a child. Studied ceramics under his adopted father and Miyagawa Chozo. While working at the Makuzu kiln (from the 1st Kozai), he was appointed to Nishi Honganji Temple where he was in charge of the production of “Ichimonji Goki Teacups” at the time of the Buddhist monk Shinran’s 650th anniversary in 1911. Retired in 1913. (more…)

Miura Kenya 三浦乾也

1821-1889malekyo potteryAlso known as Ogata Kenzan the 6th. After the death of his father, Seishichi, he was taken in by his uncle, Ida Kichiroku, and focused on Raku ware.At first, he made a living making clay dolls, but later he was discovered by Nishimura Myakuan (5th generation Kenzan, 1784-1853) and started making maki-e lacquerware in the Ogawa Haritsu (Lacquer artist, 1663-1747) style around 1845. He also excelled at pottery, and after receiving a copy of Kenzan’s biography from Nishimura, he began to make pottery in the style of Ogata Kenzan and took the name Kenzan VI. In addition to pottery, (more…)

Miyanaga Tozan 宮永東山

1867-1941maleBorn in Kyoto prefecture. Studied Chinese celadon and blue-white ceramics. His main artistic focus was on tea-ware such as vases, cups, incense burners and kensui (waste-water containers for the tea ceremony). He also excelled at producing sculptured lion figurines. (more…)

Miura Jozan 三浦常山

1836-1903malemumyoi potteryThe first Miura Jozan was born in Sado, Niigata prefecture, in 1836. He opened a kiln in his hometown in 1876 to investigate whether improvements could be made to Mumyoi-ware, which had been produced as an industry in the area. Traditional manufacturing methods had always resulted in primary colors being lost during kiln firing, but Miura Jozan succeeded in preserving a bright vermillion color unique to Mumyoi ware (known as Jozan-ware) for which he was awarded the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce’s Distinguished Service Award. The Miura family’s traditions were passed down through the 2nd generation Jozan to the (more…)

Miura Chikusen 1st 初代 三浦竹泉

1854-1915malekyo potteryBorn in Kyoto where he studied under Takahashi Dohachi the 3rd. Opened an independent kiln in Gojozaka in 1883. Successfully researched and developed a transparent glaze that allowed the use of Western colors on porcelain. Continued to pursue successful innovations with experiments into new artistics frontiers such as incorporating pearls and coral into blue-white porcelain and engravings into yellow glaze. Primarily produced tea-ware such as vases, tea cups, and sake sets, but is probably most renowned for his sencha tea sets. (more…)

Miyagawa Chozo (Makuzu Chozo 1st) 宮川長造 (初代 真葛長造)

1797-1860malemakuzu potterymushiake potteryBorn into the Miyagawa family, who had worked as glaze merchants for generations. After studying under Aoki Mokubei, he began making his own ceramics, producing excellent examples of ninsei-utsushi (replica of Ninsei) and Raku-ware as well as notable work in porcelain such as iron red overglaze, Cochin-ware, and blue-white porcelain. Because so many of his finest works were produced during his time working in Makatsugahara in Higashiyama, Kyoto, he received the name “Makuzu” from Kanshoji Temple’s Yasui Monzeki (Monzeki means temple headed by members of the royal family or nobility) and his work became known as “Makuzu-ware.” as (more…)

Matsumura Kyusuke 松村九助

1845-1912maleMatsumura Kyusuke was interested in pottery since he was young, and purchased a large amount of Western cobalt when Nagasaki started importing Western paints, selling the pigment in the Seto area for painting on Gosu ware from 1876. Kyusuke also started selling pottery, encouraging pottery craftsmen in Seto and Tajimi to use Western cobalt, and opened a shop in Yokohama to start exporting pottery abroad. He also founded “Kaiyo Company” in Nagoya, opening shops abroad, but dissolved the company in 1885 due to disagreements in business approaches. He then opened the independent Matsumura Shoten, and joined Tashiro Shoten in Yokohama (more…)

Matsumoto Yoshinobu 松本芳延

1838-1890maleA Tokyo Nishiki kiln painter, Matsumoto Yoshinobu was a shogunate vassal but hated samurai, and learned ukiyo-e as the apprentice of Utagawa Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi. In 1858, Yoshinobu was hired by Raku ware artist Mizushima Chubei and transitioned to become a painter. He became independent in 1867, and was in charge of painting for Miyagawa Kozan the First, Kiritsu Kosho Kaisha Company and Stream Company. He especially enjoyed painting tanuki, and opened a tanuki soup shop in Asakusa, Tokyo. (more…)

Marunaka Magohei 円中孫平

1830-1910malekutani porcelainA merchant from the end of the Edo period to Meiji. Marunaka Magohei’s former name was Ishisaki, but he was adopted by Nakanoya Magobei, a merchant in Kanazawa, then began working as a trader in Osaka and Yokohama. He visited the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876, and began successfully exporting Kutani ware and silk. Magohei especially pushed Kutani ware as “Japan Kutani,” and the delicate golden pigment aka-e paintings became extremely popular abroad. In 1881, Magohei opened a store in France. (more…)

Matsubayashi Shosai 松林昇斎

1865-1932maleasahi pottery12th generation Asahi ware pottery artist. Born the first son of Heijiro, the 11th generation Asahi ware potter, Shosai inherited the family business in 1894 and inherited the 12th generation title.The business struggled from the end of the Edo period throughout the Meiji period, but Shosai worked hard with his father to rebuild Asahi ware, creating a wide range of pieces centered around gohon-style tea bowls and green tea ware, building the foundation for modern Asahi ware. (more…)

Matsumoto Sahei 松本佐瓶

1851-1918malekutani porcelainMatsumoto Sahei was a Kutani ware potter who was the first son of Matsuya Kikusaburo of Rendaiji kiln. He inherited the family business in 1868.He mainly worked in aka-e, which was extremely rare at the time, and ao-te, as well as detailed colored paintings once western paints began circulating, making Sahei one of the leading figures of “Japan Kutani.” In 1876, he received the artist name Shoundo from the nanga painter Tokuda Kansho, and started using this title the following year. By 1887, he had established factories in six towns and villages but by 1891, all of them had (more…)

Matsumoto Shigenobu 松本重信

1864-1950maletokoname pottery Matsumoto Shigenobu was a Tokoname potter and the third son of the 33nd generation Matsumoto Shigetoshi. The Matsumoto family gained its fortune in the cargo boat industry. Shigetoshi, the father, was the first in the family line to begin the pottery making business in Maruyama, Tokoname, and Shigenobu the son inherited the pottery business from his father. He was talented in pottery sculpture from a young age, and in the early days of Tokoname pottery, he created many pieces which were exported to the United States. He created not only pots and vessels but sculptural ornaments of figures (more…)

Masuda Donno 益田鈍翁

1848-1938maleMasuda Donno was the first son of Masuda Takanosuke, a director of the Sado magistrate’s office. In 1863, Donno traveled to Edo as the member of bakufu’s mission to Europe, and in 1872, he became the Fourth Class Ministry of Finance under Inoue Kaoru.In 1874, Donno established Senshu Company with Inoue Kaoru and was appointed the president.After Senshu Company was dissolved, he established the trading company Mitsui in 1876 and was appointed to become the manager (later the CEO), and began publication of Chugai Bukka Shimpo (currently known as The Nihon Keizai Newspaper, or Nikkei), making him one of the (more…)

Masaki Sozaburo 正木惣三郎

1800-1850maleseto potteryThe feudal retainer of Owari Domain, Masaki Sozaburo made pottery as a hobby between work duties and created vessels at Seto Kiln and Ofuke Kiln.Pieces that are signed and sealed as “Hoshizaki” are distinguished because they use clay using the soil from Hoshizaki, Aichi (Currently Hoshizaki, Nagoya).Sozaburo’s son, Hanjiro, also created pottery as the second generation potter and was skilled at making delicate incense containers and sculptural ornaments, creating works of a different style from his father’s.Hanjiro’s son Nanko also became a pottery artist but was not as skilled as his father or grandfather, and generally the term Masaki (more…)

Mashimizu Zoroku 1st 初代 真清水蔵六

1822-1877maleShimizu Tasaburo the First learned pottery techniques from his uncle, Wake Kitei, then opened his own kiln in Gojozaka. The Mashimizu Zoroku artist name began when he changed his name to Zoroku, took the letter “Ma” from Myoho-in Temple, and named himself “Mashimizu Zoroku.”Using techniques such as overglaze decoration, kinrade, and celadon ware, Zoroku the First mainly created matcha and green tea wares. For his potter’s mark, he used a mark that was gifted to him from Gengensai Soshitsu. (more…)

Mashimizu Zoroku 2nd 二代 真清水蔵六

1861-1936maleBorn the first son of Mashimizu Zoroku the First, Zoroku the son inherited the family business and toured various cities around Japan, then to China and Korea to study celadon, Korean Yi Dynasty and Goryeo ware. After returning home, he opened his kiln in 1917 in Yamashina, Kyoto, and established the Mashimizu style.In the beginning of his career, Zoroku used his father’s hyakuju mark as a potter’s mark, but started using his own Zoroku mark around the age of 25. (more…)