mashiko pottery

Katori Hajime 香取甫

1938-malemashiko potteryFrom Ibaraki Prefecture. Joined the Tsukamoto Ceramic Studio in 1963. Later served as a Ceramic Instructor at the National Institute of Fine Arts in Laos. Started a kiln in Ibaraki in 1972. Held private exhibitions and group exhibitions at the Keio in Shinjuku, the Matsuya in Ginza, and other venues. Works focus on colored mud glazes and Tetsu-yu iron glaze. (more…)

Mashiko pottery 益子焼

It is generally agreed upon that Mashiko ware originated towards the end of the Edo period, in the year 1853 (Kaei 6). It was then that Keisaburo Otsuka, having learned the art of pottery in the city of Kasama, Ibaraki, traveled from what is now the town of Motegi, Tochigi to the town of Mashiko, where he discovered potter’s clay and first lit his kiln.The pottery industry continued to develop through the Meiji period, taking advantage of the bounties of the land to achieve Kanto-wide distribution of its wares. Around the same time, teapots decorated with simple landscape paintings were (more…)

Akutsu Tadao 阿久津忠男

1950-malemashiko potteryAfter graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University, he studied under Hirosaki Yuya at the Tochigi Ceramic Art Training Institute.He opened the kiln independently in 1975, and held a series of exhibitions at Tokyo Central Picture Gallery, as well as solo shows at Shibuya Kuroda Toen and other venues.His work focuses on Chinese ceramics such as lapis lazuli glaze, cinnabar, ash glaze, and jun ware. (more…)

Akashi Shosaku 明石庄作

1946-malemashiko potteryIn 1962, he joined the Hamada Kiln and trained there for twenty years, during which time he exhibited his works at the Hamada Shoji Kiln Exhibition and other exhibitions.In 1981, he established his own kiln in Doso, Mashiko-cho, and became an independent kiln builder in 1981, and his work was accepted for the first time in the craft division of the Kokugakai exhibition in 1982. In 1987, he was awarded the Newcomer’s Prize at the same exhibition. He has been producing folk art style pieces with persimmon and black glazes, which he inherited from his master, Hamada Shoji, and (more…)

Aizawa Hiroshi 相沢博

1948-malemashiko potteryGraduated from the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramic Art Training Institute. Became independent in 1974. Selected for the Traditional Craft New Work Exhibition and the Musashino Exhibition. Made tableware and decorative vessels using bronze underglaze iron painting, blue-and-white staining and indigo carving on nails. Solo exhibitions including Niigata Daiwa and others. (more…)