Honma ware is pottery made in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. In 1960, in the era of Rikyu, Honma Yusuke, director of the Honma Museum at the time, was impressed by the high quality of Chojiro’s tea bowls. With guidance from Asano Akira and Miura Koheiji from the Tokyo University of the Arts, they were able to establish a small kiln in the corner of the garden, and started making raku ware as oniwa ware. This is how Honma ware originated.
At the time, Ikeda Taisuke, who made pottery alongside Director Yusuke, was exposed to the masterpieces displayed in the Honma Museum, such as the works made by Chojiro and Nonko, and succeeded in making unique works.
Taisuke was guided by Murase Jihei and Koyama Fujio, who came from major pottery families. He was committed to make raku ware, and put effort into making his own unique potter’s clay in Sakyu, where there was none. He was able to gain reputation for his pottery, Honma ware.
The works of Ikeda Taisuke are now world famous, and he would stand out even among 100 potters. In November 1997, he was awarded the first “Saito Mokichi Culture Award” in the pottery industry, in Yamagata Prefecture. Currently, Honma ware is succeeded by Kei, the second generation-head.
