mingei

Fujina pottery 布志名焼

Fujina ware is pottery made in the Fujina area in Tamayu Town, Shimane Prefecture. It is believed that Fujina ware originated in 1750, when Funaki Yojibei Muramasa established a kiln in Fujina.Later on, in 1780, Tsuchiya Zenshiro Yoshikata (current Uzen kiln) left Rakuzan ware and moved to Fujina as a domain-appointed pottery instructor, and established the first official kiln under the orders of Matsudaira Harusato (Lord Fumai), tea master and feudal lord of the Matsue Domain.With the start of the Meiji era, the domain stopped supporting the kiln, so they had to become independent as a private kiln. They made (more…)

Ushinoto pottery 牛ノ戸焼

Ushinoto ware is pottery made in Kawahara Town, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture. Ushinoto ware was founded by Kanekawa Toshichi (born in Tottori) between 1830-1844. In 1837, the Kobayashi Umegoro family, who came from Iwami, Gotsu Town, Shimane Prefecture, succeeded Ushinoto ware. They established an Ushinoto kiln in Ushinoto, Kawahara Town, Tottori Prefecture.After that, the Ushinoto kiln was succeeded by Kobayashi Kumasaburo, the second-generation head, and Kobayashi Hidenosuke, the third-generation head. They mainly produced everyday pottery (water pots, sake bottles, mortars and pestles). However, their business gradually declined, and it became difficult to continue in the era of the fourth-generation head, (more…)

Kokuji pottery 小久慈焼

Kokuji ware is pottery made in Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture. Kokuji ware started in 1818–1829 in the Edo period, when the founder, Kumagai Jin’emon, trained under Kazo, a potter from Soma. After that, Jin’emon acquired his mentor’s techniques. He discovered clay in the area, created his own glaze, and made tea utensils.In the Meiji era, He was acknowledged by Yanagi Muneyoshi, but his performance gradually declined. In 1953, with the efforts of Kuji City, they merged the three kilns that were barely managing, and established the Kokuji ware pottery workshop, represented by Shimodake Takeshi. The place was restored and still (more…)

Koishiwara pottery 小石原焼

Koishiwara ware is pottery made in Toho Village, Asakura District, Fukuoka Prefecture. They mainly make everyday items. Koishiwara ware started in 1682, when Kuroda Mitsuyuki invited potters from Imari and established a kiln. It was the first area to produce pottery in Chikuho.It is known for its unique geometrical patterns that are made using hakeme, tobikanna, and kushikaki. They often use a raw glazing technique, which means they pour the glaze without bisque firing. This technique later reached Onta ware in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, which is why Onta ware and Koishiwara ware are similar. Bernard Leach, who significantly changed (more…)

Sodeshi pottery 袖師焼

Sodeshi ware is pottery made in Sodeshi Town, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. Sodeshi ware started when Ono Tomoichi established a kiln and made everyday items in 1877, after training in Fujinaya, Rakuzan, and Hoeizan.In 1893, the second-generation head, Iwajiro, moved to the current kiln site at the coast of Lake Shinji in Sodeshinoura, where surface mail was regularly used at the time, and built five climbing kilns. After Iwajiro visited and investigated places that work in the ceramic industry including Kyoto, Seto, and Arita, he created elegant pottery, which has a different appearance than traditional Fujina ware, and named it (more…)

Onta pottery 小鹿田焼

Onta ware is pottery made in Onta village, which lies in the center of Sarayama, a valley in Hita City, Oita Prefecture. They use many techniques including “Tobikanna,” “Uchi Hakeme,” “Yubikaki,” “Kushikaki,” “Uchikake,” and “Nagashikake.” Those pottery techniques were designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property of the country in 1995, and in March 2008, the whole village was selected as an Important Cultural Landscape under the name of “Onta Pottery Village.”They refrain from adding personal marks on their own ceramic pieces, which resiliently preserves folk pottery, thus many of their products come with the distributor’s label on them. Onta ware (more…)

Ono Toshiro 尾野敏郎

1903-1995malesodeshi potteryBorn in Shimane Prefecture. He studied under Yanagi Soetsu, Kawai Kanjiro, and Hamada Shoji, and later went to England with Bernard Leach. In 1942, he was designated by the government to preserve the Sodeshi kiln technique. He received the Grand Prix at the Brussels World Exposition. He held an exhibition at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo in 1970 to commemorate his 50th year in the pottery business. He is a leading figure in folk pottery. (more…)

Sakazu pottery 酒津焼

Pottery from Okayama PrefectureIn 1869, Okamoto Suekichi, who was a powerful figure in Sakazu, Kurashiki City, invited potters from all over the country to the kiln he had set up, to produce things like receptacles for daily use, tableware and sake cups.From the latter half of the Meiji era to the Taisho era, it flourished tremendously at its base in the Chugoku region, and in the Showa era, under the guidance of potters from pro-folk art groups such as Hamada Shoji and Bernard Leach, it developed into a folk art kiln, and continues to this day. (more…)

Kinjo Jiro 金城次郎

1912- 2004maletsuboya potteryliving national treasureBorn in Naha. Began working with ceramics at the age of 13, studying under Hamada Shoji. Later apprenticed at a kiln-equipped shop that produced ceramics typically representative of Okinawa. Went independent in 1972. Certified as a prefectural intangible cultural technology property holder for Okinawan ceramics. Recipient of the Okinawa Times Art Award, Japan Folk Art Museum Award, Kokugakai Exhibition Excellence Award, Modern Master Craftsman Exhibition Labor Minister’s Award, many others. Permanent installation at the Romanian National Folk Art Museum. Exhibited at the Japan Ceramics Masters Exhibition. The Okinawa Crafts Exhibition (sponsored by the National Museum of (more…)

Ota Kumao 太田熊雄

1912-1992malekoishiwara potteryHe was born in Koishiwara, the ancient home of Japanese folk pottery. He was influenced by Yanagi Muneyoshi and Hamada Shoji and devoted to folk art. Awarded the Kyusyu-Yamaguchi Folk Art Exhibition Association Prize, the Minister of Education’s Award at the Prefectural Exhibition, the Brussels Expo Grand Prix, the Japan Folk Art Museum Prize, and others. He has served as a judge of the Japan Folk Art Museum. (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…)

Abe Yuko 阿部祐工

1924-maleBorn in Ehime, Japan. Graduated from the Nihon University College of Art. Studied under Hamada Shoji. Later, and later trained in Saijo, Tobe, and Bizen. He has participated in the research for the folk art of Tobe ware along with Yanagi Soetsu, Bernard Leach, and Hazama Shoji. Established a kiln in Kawachi-gama in Kitakyushu in 1969 and in Yawata in 1966. A leading figure in folk pottery and a member of the National Painting Society. (more…)