mashiko pottery

Murata Gen 村田元

1904-1988malemashiko potteryBorn in 1904 in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Although originally an aspiring painter, he could not make a living as a painter, thus he came to Mashiko to rely on the renowned Shouji Hamada immediately after the war. He began training as a pupil to practice his ceramic skills in 1944, rose up to a place in Mashiko called Kitagoya, built a furnace and became independent in 1954. Murata transported his completed pottery on his bicycle-towed trailer to the streets of Mashiko for sale, but his life was so difficult that his wife devoted herself to support the family. (more…)

Nakamura Kenji 中村謙司

1947-malemashiko potteryFrom Tokyo. Graduated from Dokkyo University. Studied under Okuda Yasuhiro of the Kagura Kiln in Ise. Later went to the Mashiko Tsukamoto Pottery Center and set up independently in 1975 in Otsuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Set up a kiln there in 1976. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, the Musashino Exhibition, the Japan Ceramics Exhibition, and others. Uses cinnabar, ash glaze, yakishime, and salt glaze. (more…)

Nagafuchi Kiyoshi 永渕聖

1950-malemashiko potteryFrom Yamaguchi Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Production Engineering at Nihon University. Decided to pursue pottery in 1974 and trained at Daishukugama Kiln. Became a student of Hirosaki Hiroya in 1976. Set up a kiln independently in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture in 1977. Focuses on straw ash glaze, ash glaze, and black glaze. (more…)

Nakata Ryoko 仲田良子

1948-femalemashiko potteryFrom Mashiko. Graduated from Mooka Girls’ High School. Joined Haniwa Toen Pottery in 1968. Studied under Furukawa Takahisa and Toshiko. Set up independently in 1975. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition and the New Works Exhibition. Regular member of the Japan Crafts Association. Focuses on tableware with red painting. (more…)

Hayakawa Yoshinori 早川嘉則

1946-malemashiko potteryStudied under Yasuda Takeshi in Mashiko in 1972, and in 1974 built a kiln and established Hayakawa Pottery in Mashiko. Awarded at the Shinshoukai Exhibition, the Kita-Kanto Art Exhibition, and the New Traditional Craft Exhibition, among others. Solo exhibitions at Matsuzakaya, Nagoya and Toetsu, Ginza. Group exhibition at Seibu Ikebukuro and Mitsukoshi Department Store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Gave overglaze colors to salt glaze, akae, dyed and carbonized firing in ascending kiln. (more…)

Hamada Atsuya 濱田篤哉

1931 -1988malemashiko potteryThird son of Hamada Shoji. Born in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture. After graduating from Moka High School, he went to England in 1956 to study under Bernard Leach for two years. Solo exhibitions at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Nihonbashi and elsewhere. His works include a teapot and pitcher with bran, persimmon, black ground glaze and salt glaze. (more…)

Harvey Young

1945 –malemashiko potteryHe was born in Chicago. Graduated from California State University. Later, he studied under Seto Hiroshi in Mashiko and Gue Yu Eriksen in Denmark. Moved to Japan in 1984 and built a kiln in Mashiko. In 1984, he moved to Japan and established his own kiln in Mashiko, where he mainly made slip decorations and gray glazes. (more…)

Nagakura Suiko 長倉翠子

1937- 2016femalemashiko potteryFrom Yukuhashi City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Went to Mashiko in 1966 and set up independently. Selected for and received prizes at the Japan Traditional Crafts New Works Exhibition, the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, the Japan Modern Crafts Exhibition, the Kofukai Exhibition, and others. Has held solo exhibitions at Nihonbashi Takashimaya and Yamagata Onuma. (more…)

Hattori Shunzo 服部俊三

1945–malemashiko potteryBorn in Nasu, Tochigi while his family was retreating from the front line of the war. Graduated from Salesian Polytechnic. Started work at Mitsukoshi in the beginning, but left in 1976 and moved to Mashiko with the aim of becoming a potter. Became the apprentice of Nariyoshi Jin. In 1978, he went independent and established his kiln in Mashiko. Nominated in the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition and New Crafts Exhibition. Specializes in copper underglaze iron decoration, nail engraving, and black glaze. (more…)

Hasegawa Tsugio 長谷川つぎお

1950–malemashiko potteryBorn in the town of Mashiko. He was born into a family that works in the ceramics industry. Graduated from Senshu University School of Business Management in 1972. In 1975, he established his own kiln in Tokyo’s Hazawa and aimed to become a potter. In 1981, he established the Hasegawa kiln in his hometown of Ozawa. He specializes in carbonization fire Yakishime, rough texture scraping, and ash glaze. (more…)

Hagiwara Toshio 萩原としを

1933-?malemashiko potteryBorn in the town of Mashiko. Graduated from Nishogakusha University. He originally majored in writing scenarios, but he returned to his hometown in 1966 to work at the Pottery Association and learned about pottery on the side. He went independent in 1968. He has held solo exhibitions at the Asagaya art gallery and Hachioji’s Daimaru. In 1980, he held a 10 year anniversary exhibition in Sano city. (more…)

Hamada Shoji 濱田庄司

1894-1978malemashiko potteryliving national treasureHamada Shoji was a renowned craftsman and representative figure in modern Japanese pottery. Born in Tokyo in 1894, he resolved to become a potter while still a student at Furitsuicchu (the Tokyo First Prefectural Jr. High School, Hibiya high school at present). After studying ceramics at the Tokyo Higher Technical School (present-day Tokyo Institute of Technology), Hamada joined the Kyoto Municipal Ceramic Laboratory, where he would meet his lifelong friend, Kawai Kanjiro. As Hamada later summarized the narrative arc of his career, “I found the path in Kyoto, began my journey in England, studied in Okinawa, and (more…)

Hamada Shinsaku 濱田晋作

1929-2023malemashiko potteryBorn as the second son of Living National Treasure Hamada Shoji, Shinsaku moved with his family to Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture when he was only several months old. It was here that he developed an interest in pottery, and it was in junior high school that he committed himself to carrying on his father’s legacy by becoming a pottery. Around 1950, at the same time as when he graduated from university, Hamada began his own training in pottery in his father’s workshop. In 1963, he served as an assistant to his father and Bernard Leach as they toured America giving (more…)

Noto Midori 能登実登利

1951-malemashiko potteryBorn in Fukui Prefecture. He entered Mashiko in 1973 and studied under Narui Tsuneo. In 1975, he built his own kiln and became independent. He has brought out the charm of Mashiko pottery without any eccentricities. (more…)

Negishi Tadao 根岸忠男　

1955-malemashiko potteryBorn in Misato-mura, Kodama-gun, Saitama Prefecture. Graduated from Honjo Vocational Training School. Studied under Takada Akira in 1976. He entered Mashiko in 1978, and after working as a research student at Tsukamoto Pottery, became independent in 1982. His work was selected for the New Work Exhibition and other exhibitions at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. He mainly produces pottery with a focus on kiln-dyed pieces. (more…)

Narui Fujio 成井藤夫

1930-1991malemashiko potteryTrained at the family business in Endoji Kiln. Studied under Goda Yoshimichi since 1948. Looked up to Hamada Shoji and Sakuma Totaro. Became an independent potter in 1955. He established the Mashiko Pottery Cooperative Center in 1965 and became the president of the company. Left the company in 1977. Established the Mashiko Ceramic Village in 1978. Held solo exhibitions at Shinjuku Keio and other venues. Zaffer iron red overglaze. (more…)

Narui Tsuneo 成井恒雄

1939-2012malemashiko potteryA member of the Narui ceramic family. Trained at the family business in Endoji kiln. He joined the Oshuku kiln, a joint kiln, in 1965. Became independent in 1971. Affiliate of the Japan Artists’ Association. (more…)

Narui Tappo 成井立歩

1925-2010malemashiko potteryBorn in Mashiko. His real name is Masanao. Inherited the family business, the Endoji Kiln. Went to Australia in 1972 and held solo exhibitions in Melbourne and Sydney. Later, built a climbing kiln at the request of Gimhae, Busan. Awarded the Prefectural Art Festival Prize, the Special Prize at the Special Products Exhibition and the National Painting Association Award among others. First solo exhibition at Enkakuji Temple in Kamakura, and other solo exhibitions throughout Japan. (more…)

Nariyoshi Jin 成良仁

1942-2012malemashiko potteryBorn in Gifu City. Completed a graduate course at Tokyo University of Arts. Built the kiln in 1973. Awarded a prize at the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition among others. Awarded the Honorable Mention at the Musashino Exhibition and others. Awarded the Grand Prize at the Prefectural Art Festival. A regular member of the Japan Arts and Craft Society. Mainly in iron under glaze and chamfering.He also known as Nanda Koreya, a filmmaker who makes unusual ceramic dolls. (more…)

Namai Keiko 生井慶子

1934-femalemashiko potteryBorn in Mogi-machi, Tochigi Prefecture. Graduated from Toriyama Girls’ High School in Tochigi Prefecture. Studied under Fukuhara Tatsuro and Kawamura Tomozan.Trained at Mashiko Tsukamoto Pottery, Kosago kiln, Nihonmatsu Manko-yaki and Mashiko Endoji Kiln. Became an independent potter in 1979. Her work was selected for the National Exhibition. Her works are glazed with ash and lime glaze on brush strokes and underglaze iron pictures that bring out the earthiness of the pottery. Uses colored glazes mixed with cobalt and copper oxide. (more…)