over 500000 JPY

Nakazato Takashi 中里隆

1937-malekaratsu potteryFifth son of the 12th Tarouemon. Studied under his father. Traveled to the US in 1961 to work as a lecturer, and later traveled around the world. Started a kiln for Tanegashima ware in Nishinoomote in 1971 on the advice of Koyama Fujio. Returned home in 1974 and started Ryutagama Kiln in Karatsu in 1976 (the name was given by Koyama Fujio). Unaffiliated. Has held consecutive solo exhibitions at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi and Minamiaoyama Green G. Makes a broad range of pottery, including Karatsu ware, Nanban-style ceramics, Tanegashima ware, white porcelain, and others. (more…)

Nakazato Shigetoshi 中里重利

1930-2015malekaratsu potteryThird son of the 12th Tarouemon (Muan). Set up a kiln in Karatsu in 1973. Selected for the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition for the first time in 1952. His selected works have been procured by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs afterwards. Specially selected for the Hokuto Prize; accepted without review; entrusted judge and member. Received the Matsuzakaya Prize at the Modern Japan Ceramics Exhibition. Accepted without review for the Modern Art and Craft exhibition; is a judge and councilor, and received the Member Prize and the Education Minister’s Prize. Received the Kusunobe Prize and Member’s Prize at the Japan (more…)

Kawamoto Masukichi 川本枡吉

1831-1907maleseto porcelainKawamoto Masukichi was born the third sun of Kato Yasuzaemon. He began his studies at Kato Yuji’s kiln, where he trained as a ceramic maker.He later became the adopted son-in-law of Kawamoto Hansuke IV, and inherited the title of Kawamoto Hansuke V. In 1862, however, he yielded control of the family to his brother-in-law, Rokusaburo (the eldest son of Hansuke IV), branching off from the family. Afterward, he began ceramic work under the name Kawamoto Masukichi, working with trade ceramics primarily consisting of blue and white porcelain, and also creating works for exhibition, which ultimately earned him high praise (more…)

Kawakami Fuhaku 川上不白

1719-1807male He was born in 1719 as the second son of Kawakami Rokudayu, a vassal of the Mizuno family of the Kii-Shingu domain.He became an apprentice of Nyoshinsai, the seventh generation of Omote-senke tea ceremony school in Kyoto, and participated in the establishment of the seven tea ceremony procedures (Practice methods established to cultivate the spirit and techniques of the tea ceremony).In 1750 (Kan’en 3), he moved to Edo (present-day Tokyo) in response to Nyoshinsai’s wish to spread the Senke tea ceremony in Edo[2]. Later, as the Senke tea ceremony by Fuhaku spread in Edo, with Tanuma Okitsugu as well (more…)

Kamoda Shoji 加守田章二

1933-1983maleGraduated in 1956 under the guidance and tutelage of Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kondo Yuzo. After graduation, participated in the establishment of Omika kiln in Ibaraki prefecture. From 1958 he continued his training in Mashiko at the Tsukamoto Ceramics Factory, then built a kiln locally and went independent. Held his first solo exhibition in 1960. First selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition the following year and became a member of the Japan Kogei Association in 1964. Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1966 and the Takamura Kotaro Award in 1967. Withdrew from the Japan Kogei Association in 1968 ad (more…)

Itaya Hazan 板谷波山

1872-1963maleGraduated from Tokyo Art School (Tokyo University of the Arts) in the Sculpting Department.Learned alongside students such as Okakura Tenshin and Takamura Koun.He built a home at Tabata which also doubled as a workshop, and after installing a downdraft style kiln, he devoted himself to creating pottery in order to utilize the fruits of the research on pottery he had engaged in up until that point.In 1907, he exhibited his work, “Jisei Kinshimon Kesshoyu Vase” at the Tokyo Industrial Exposition and won third place prize.After winning many prizes, he was appointed an Imperial Household Artist in 1934. In 1945, his (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…)

Fujiwara Kei 藤原啓

1899-1983malebizen potteryliving national treasureStarting out with a passion for literatary studies, Fujiwara began submitting haiku and poems throughout his elementary and junior high school years to various publications and winning awards for some of his submissions. Leaving for Tokyo at the age of 19, he began working as an editor for Hakubunkan while also attending university and was producing poems under the pen name Fujiwara Keiji. However, due to poor health, he abandoned his aspirations of becoming a writer of literature and returned to his hometown in 1973.After returning home, Fujiwara began to practice pottery at the suggestion of Manyoshu (more…)

Fujimoto Yoshimichi 藤本能道

1919-1992maleliving national treasureAfter graduating from art school ad being admitted to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology’s industrial arts engineering training center, Fujimoto entered into an apprenticeship under Kato Hajime, and began producing works alongside Tomimoto Kenkichi as his pottery assistant in 1938.Fujimoto won the Kofukaiten Kofukai Kogeisho Award in 1938, and after World War II exhibited works primarily in the various exhibitions held by the Japan Ceramics Society. Fujimoto won an award from the society as well as the silver prize from the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva in 1956. Furthermore, though Fujimoto for a (more…)

Bernard Leach

1887-1979maleAfter losing his mother as a baby, Leach spent his early childhood in Kyoto raised by his father, a Japanese resident.He later returned to England, but came back to Japan in 1909 aged 21. Connecting with writers and artists from the Shirakaba Group, he was especially friendly with Yanagi Soetsu, and became captivated by ceramics. He began studying ceramics under Ogata Kenzan the 6th, producing Raku ware and so on.He endeavored in pottery techniques at Hamada Shoji’s Mashiko kiln base, became acquainted with Kawai Kanjiro and participated with him in Yanagi’s mingei movement. In 1920 he returned to England accompanied (more…)

Takemoto Hayata 竹本隼太

1848-1892maleBorn into a family of hatamoto that served the Tokugawa shogunate for generations, he was active in national affairs at the end of the Edo period, but lost his job after the restoration of the Meiji government.After the Meiji Restoration, he began to make pottery under the name of Gansuien, inspired by his father’s hobbies of ceramics and bonsai and by his acquaintance with the Seto potter, Inoue Ryosai. He played a pioneering role in modern craftsmanship by perfecting the method of firing using press moulds and was awarded the Kamon award at the first National Industrial Exhibition in 1877 (more…)

Nakamura Rokuro 中村六郎

1914-2004malebizen potteryBorn in Imbe. His father made a fortune in business and was a close patron of artists such as Kaneshige Toyo. As a result, he was exposed to Bizen ware from an early age. Under the influence of that time, he aspired to become a potter. He worked for a company until the end of the war and studied under Living National Treasure Kaneshige Toyo from 1945. When Kitaoji Rosanjin visited Kaneshige Toyo’s home, he learned his techniques together with Fujiwara Kei, Yamamoto Toshu and others. Became independent in 1961. Awarded a prize at the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition. (more…)

Kato Takuo 加藤卓男

1917-2005maleliving national treasureHis father was Kato Kobei the 5th, who presided over the Maruko Pottery Company. Purchased by the government for the Nitten Special Prize. Awarded the Modern Craft Prize at the Japan Modern Crafts Exhibition. Awarded the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition Ceramics Prize. Awarded the Tokai TV Culture Award for his research on ancient Persian ceramics, and the Chunichi Culture Award for his teaching and training of Mino ceramics. Councilor and judge at the Japan Modern Industrial Exhibition, the Chunichi International Exhibition, and the Nitten exhibition. President of the Mino Ceramic Society. Councilor of the Japan Federation of Industry (more…)

Kato Shigetaka 加藤重高

1927-2013malemino potteryThe third son of Kato Tokuro. Studied under his father after graduating from Seto Ceramic School. Exhibited his work at the Nitten Modern Craft Exhibition from 1959 to 1971. In addition to the Nitten Special Prize and the Contemporary Kogei Award, he was awarded the Japan Ceramic Society Prize and the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition Governor’s Award. He was awarded the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition Governor’s Prize, and served as a councilor and judge of the same exhibition. Since then, he has not participated in any of the public exhibitions. Traveled around the world visiting the Middle East and (more…)

Kagami Shukai 各務周海

1941-2009malemino potteryBorn in Gifu Prefecture. He built a cellar kiln in Ena, Gifu Prefecture, near Tajimi. Mainly Shino Tea Pottery.1963 Graduated from Komazawa University1966 Completed a research student course at the Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Laboratory and studied under Koubei Kato1968 Became independent and built his own anagama kiln (more…)

Okayasu Kyuzanjin 岡安宮山人

1931-malebizen potteryBorn in Kume-cho, Okayama Prefecture.1946 Entered Asamoto Kakuzan’s school in Tsuyama City and studied Nanban and Raku ware.1950 Joined the Ceramics Research Institute of the Kyoto Industrial Technology Agency, where he specialized in glazes.1954 Built a kiln at the time of his birth and presented glaze “Kase-red Glaze”, which was well received.However, he had a desire for other pottery and set out on a journey to study ceramics.1963 Worked on Shino and Oribe ware in Mino Kujiri, the place of Shino ware.After 10 years of training, he returned to his hometown, returning to Bizen ware.1972 Built a kiln at (more…)

Hyochien 瓢池園

1873-1909Kawahara Noritatsu who was the secretary of the ceramics factory office at the Vienna World’s Fair took over after it dissolved there, and from a factory setup in 1873 which specialized in ceramic painting to be exported, he ordered unglazed ceramics from Seto’s Kato Shigeju and Arita etc., gathered brilliant ceramic painting craftsmen, and developed realistic painting in a Japanese-like style. That technique was evaluated many times at exhibitions in Japan and overseas, and although built for a period of time, in the later years they fell into financial difficulties and became the exclusive factory of Morimura Gumi (currently Noritake (more…)

Tokuda Yasokichi 3rd 三代 徳田八十吉

1933-2009malekutani porcelainliving national treasureFrom Ishikawa Prefecture. Real name is Masahiko. Graduated from the Kanazawa College of Art. Learned from his father Yasokichi. Issui-kai Exhibition prize winner and judge. His works have been procured by the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Has received the NHK President’s Prize at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, as well as the Craft Association President’s Prize, and is a regular member. Became the third Yasokichi in 1988. Focuses on colored glaze, brilliant glaze, and blue glaze. (more…)

Koyama Kiyoko 神山清子

1936-2023femaleshigaraki potteryBorn in Sasebo, Nagasaki prefecture. In 1953 he studied painting under Nakajima Kenju in Shigaraki. Later studied Ogata-Kenzan ceramics as well as blue-white ceramics under Eijiro Yoshitake in Kyoto, then worked under Misaka Kakuzo in 1963 with the aim of creating his own ceramics. Build the Shigaraki sub-ground hole kiln and the Sungoe kiln, as well as the Kochinobe kiln in Echigo. Selected for the Women’s Ceramics Exhibition, Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, others. Held solo exhibitions at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Ginza Kuroda Toen, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, others. Appeared widely in print and on television. (more…)

Kuriki Tatsusuke 栗木達介

1943 – 2013maleBorn in Seto. Graduated from Kyoto University of Art and Design. Studied under Tomimoto Kenkichi, Kondo Yuzo, Fujimoto Yoshimichi. First selected for the Nitten Exhibition in 1972. Asahi Ceramics Exhibition Grand Prize jury member. Recipient of the Nikkei Exhibition Grand Prize, Chunichi International Grand Prize, Nisshin Kogyo Exhibition Kusube Award, Japan Ceramic Society Award. Special selection for Nitten, etc. Known for innovative personal design. (more…)