apprentice of hamada shoji

Oka Sakura 岡左久良

1938-malemashiko potteryBorn in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. His grandfather was Kawabata Ryushi (1885-1966), a Japanese painter and haiku poet. Studied under Hamada Shoji for 11 years. In 1989, he built a kiln at his home in Eifuku-cho, Suginami, Tokyo, and began his creative activities. He held his first solo exhibition at Daimaru in Kyoto and his second at Takashimaya in Tokyo. (more…)

Funaki Kenji 船木研児

1927-maleBorn in Shimane prefecture. Dropped out of the Shimane Normal School, followed his father, Michitada in creating ceramics, and participated in the Mingei Movement led by Yanagi Muneyoshi and Kawai Kanjiro. Later studied under Hamada Shoji and Bernard Leach. Kokuga Association Award. Japan Folk Crafts Museum Award. Japan Ceramics Society Award and more. Held solo exhibitions at various Mitsukoshi stores including Nihonbashi and Osaka. Various skills such as straw painting, finger painting, color glaze, and mud painting. (more…)

Tanaka Yutaka 田中裕

1918-?maleHe built the Koishikari Kiln in Miyanomori in 1953, visited Mashiko in 1967, and was introduced to Hamada Shoji in 1969. His work was first selected for the Japan Folk Art Museum Exhibition in 1962. His works have been selected for the National Exhibition and many others. He has received many awards, including the Japan Folk Art Association Award. Leader of the Ryokudei-kai. Held a series of solo exhibitions at Park Gallery. Mainly celadon, persimmon glaze, Oribe, and inlay. (more…)

Tashiro Makoto 田代誠

1925-?maleBorn in Tokyo, he studied under Hamada Shoji from 1946 to 1950. In 1969, he built a kiln in Uji City, and received an Honorable Mention at the Japan Folk Art Museum Exhibition. He is a member of the Kokuga-kai Craft Club. Creates mainly decorative paintings, slip-ware, and ash glaze. (more…)

Sudo Takeo 須藤武雄

1931-1998malemashiko potteryThird generation of Hyuga Kiln. Studied under Hamada Shoji. Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition and the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition. Awarded at the North Kanto Art Exhibition. Held solo exhibitions sponsored by Tochigi Newspaper Company, Utsunomiya and Ginza Matsuzakaya Department Store. Works mainly with overglaze red enamel decoration, persimmon glaze, and salt glaze. (more…)

Sakuma Takao 佐久間孝雄

1928-1991maleBorn in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture. Studied under his father, Totaro, and Hamada Shoji. Studied Okinaw pottery at the University of the Ryukyu University. Later became a guest lecturer at Ohio University and other art schools in the United States. Built a kiln in Mino Utsaka in 1979. Held solo exhibitions at Nihonbashi Takashimaya and elsewhere. Focused on Oribe pottery and Kohiki. (more…)

Maruta Masami 丸田正美

1925-1979malekaratsu potteryBorn in Kuromuta, Takeo City, Saga Prefecture, he grew up in familiarity with pottery from an early age. After graduating from the Ceramics Department of Arita Technical High School, he became an apprentice of Hamada Shoji of Mashiko, and after that he continued to practice at Mashiko, Hagi, and Tobe. He established the unique Karatsu ware that incorporates the advantages of various kilns, and built a kiln in Kuromuta in 1962.From then on, he was selected as one of the leading artists of Kyushu folk art, and won many prizes at the Kyushu Ceramics Exhibition, Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition (more…)

Sakuma Totaro 佐久間藤太郎

1900-1976malemashiko potteryBorn in Mashiko. Completed his studies at Mashiko Training School and inherited the family business. He studied under Hamada Shoji. Ogoto Tonichi Award. Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Achievement Award. Member of the Totokai and Kokugakai collectives. Served as a member of prefectural art festival committees. (more…)

Kimura Ichiro 木村一郎

1915-1978malemashiko potteryBorn in 1915, died in 1978. Born in Mashiko. He studied under Hamada Shoji. Underwent Kyoto pottery trial training. Became independent in 1946. He has won prizes at the Japan Folk Art Exhibition, The Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition, the National Ceramics Exhibition, the Japan Industrial Exhibition, and the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. (more…)

Yasuda Nyoi 安田如意

1943-maleshinonome potteryCompleted Kyoto Pottery Vocational Training Institute. Studied under Morino Yoshimitsu, Kawai Kanjiro, Tomimoto Kenkichi, Hamada Shoji, and Miwa Kyuwa. Built a climbing kiln in Kyoto and became independent. Named Shinonome-yaki pottery by Zen Master Hata Egyoku, the 76th head priest of Eiheiji Temple, the head temple of the Soto sect of Buddhism. Later moved the Kyoto-style climbing kiln to Naga-gun, Mie Prefecture. Founded the Shinonome-kai. Studied under various masters of the tea ceremony and sencha tea ceremony. Lectured ceramics at the University of Hawaii. Held solo exhibitions in Osaka Daimaru Department Store and others. Works mainly on tea ceremony (more…)

Mori Hiroshi 森浩

1933-1996malebizen potteryAfter learning at the Seto Ceramics Research Institute, he trained at various kilns and studied under Hamada Shoji and Kondo Yuzo. He has been awarded prizes at the Shinsho-kai and Nihon Mingeikan exhibitions. A board member of the Tokushima Prefecture Art Association. Invited to the Tokushima Prefecture Exhibition. Received the Tokushima Newspaper Culture Award and many others. His works range from very large pieces to small ones. (more…)

Fukuma Syuji 福間琇士

1941-maleFrom Shimane Prefecture. Graduated from Gohtsu High School. Studied under his father Takashi, at Yumachi Kiln. Later, learned from Shoji Hamada, Bernard Howell Leach and Kinjo Jiro. Shimane Prefectural Citizen’s Cultural Festival – General Art Exhibition Gold Award. Japan Folk Arts Museum Exhibition Honorable Mention. National Traditional Kogei Exhibition President Award. Tanabe Museum Tea Ceremony Exhibition, etc. Placed in Japan Ceramics Arts Exhibition, Kokuten, etc. Inheriting the tradition of folk pottery, and mainly works with straw ash, finger painting and nagarekake. (more…)

Fukuda Hosui 福田豊水

1928-?maleshodai potteryGraduated from Saga High School. In 1958, aimed at restoring Shodai ware. Studied under Hamada Shoji. The Japan Folk Crafts Museum Exhibition Honorable Mention and Association Award. Representing Kumamoto Prefecture at Ceramics in Living Exhibition. The First Kurashi-no-kogei-ten Grand Prize. Placed in West Japan Ceramics Exhibition Prime Minister’s Award, etc. (more…)

Hirosaki Hiroya 廣崎裕哉

1933-maleBorn in Tokyo. Following work at the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramics Mentoring Center, trained at Tsukamoto Ceramics Factory. Studied under Hamada Shoji and Ishiguro Munemaro. Recipients of the Prefectural Art Festival Special Prize. Invited to the New Crafts Association, Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition, New Works Exhibition, Northern Kanto Art Exhibition, Japanese Ceramics Exhibition, Valoris International Exhibition, Central Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition, All Japan Traditional Crafts Selection Exhibition, Japanese Ceramics Overseas Exhibition. Held solo exhibitions at Nihonbashi, Osaka, Kyoto Takashimaya, Kanto-ri, Ginza Kuroda Toen, Minami-Aoyama Green G. Primarily focused on white porcelain, celadon, cinnabar. (more…)

Shimaoka Tatsuzo 島岡達三

1919-2007malemashiko potteryliving national treasureBorn in 1919 (eighth year of the Taisho era), the eldest son of Shimaoka Yonekichi, a braid maker from Atago, Tokyo. In his third year of high school, inspired by works of Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji he had witnessed at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, he resolved to become a potter. In 1939, he enrolled in the ceramics department at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. The following year, he visited Mashiko to meet with Hamada, who agreed to accept Shimaoka as his apprentice. However, in 1942, following the breakout of the Pacific War, Shimaoka joined a (more…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

Okuda Yasuhiro 奥田康博

1920-1999maleStudied under Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro. After training in Tamba, he built a kiln in Yakutanezan, Ise City, and moved to the foot of Asama Mountain in 1971. Solo exhibitions at the Ise Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hankyu Department Store. Mainly works with zaffer glaze. Judged at the Mie Prefectural Exhibition and the Ise City Exhibition. (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…)

Oyama Takashi 大山隆

1955 –maleFrom Tokyo. Graduated from Hibiya High School. Studied under Hamada Shoji. Started a kiln in 1977. Selected for the Kokugakai Exhibition. Held exhibitions overseas in West Germany and other locations. Held private exhibitions at Tsukamoto in Roppongi and Takumi in Ginza. Works focus on color difference techniques using Shio-yu glaze and Deisai. (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…)

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…)