Tag: Bill Geisinger

California Natives: Manzanita “Vandenberg” in a Vase by Bill Geisinger

January 18, 2018Bill Geisinger Research Tea

How should I select and arrange flowers in a vessel? For the tea room, Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) famously said that “the flowers should be arranged as they are in the field”.

As I walked my dog one fall morning last year and saw the misleadingly iconic imported palm trees and eucalyptuses against the blue California sky, I wondered “so what did Californian fields look like before these exotic plants arrived?”

Palm trees are ubiquitous in San Diego, and they seem to be considered representative of California

Looking out to the ocean from Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Natural reserves provide a glimpse of what indigenous California fields look like. The Southern California coast often starts gray in the morning, as seen in this photo, but then brightens as the sun breaks through for the rest of the day.

On one side of our back garden, I have a long strip of planter area that I had been been watching weeds grow for the last two years. My grand plan after all the necessary repairs were done inside the house, was to plant some beautiful flowers like camellias and peonies that are listed as ‘appropriate’ for the tea room. No I don’t have such a room yet, but it is part of my ambitious 20-year renovation vision that I promise to discuss with my husband who will first read about the plan in this blog.

I began researching camellias and read about the care and attention for the one type that I have always wanted. It is called Camellia Wabisuke and is a small single form camellia that I frequently see in photos of tea room alcoves. My desire for this flower was made stronger because of its perfect name, which includes the word wabi!

Japan’s oldest Wabisuke Camellia in Ryoanji temple Kyoto, conveniently labeled for tourists with a sign.

Then, I looked at a photo that I took of Japan’s oldest Wabisuke plant in Ryoanji from a past trip to Kyoto, and realized that I was crazy. Camellias really belong where there is regular rain and sufficient humidity, which is usually where luscious mosses can grow and cover the ground. When I mentioned this to my tea teacher who has been growing tea flowers in San Diego for the last 50 years, she shook her head and confirmed that “camellias are the most difficult to grow and care for” in Southern California.

Single form white camellia that will be close to impossible to grow in Southern California. White camellias are especially difficult to grow according to my tea teacher.

Feeling defeated before even planting a single flora, I looked through my tea ceremony guide book and re-read the seven rules of Sen no Rikyu, which led me to the opening question of this blog.

After some research, I was surprised to discover that there are thousands of plant species in California, many of which can be found nowhere else. Many also bloom with beautiful and unostentatious flowers. I excitedly thought that I should try turning my back-garden dirt strip into a native flower cutting garden and started to investigate which plants I should grow. This was no easy task because the actual plants are not commonly sold in nearby nurseries.

Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano

Finally when I attended a native garden workshop I discovered the Tree of Life nursery in San Juan Capistrano that is owned by Mike Evans. I was inspired when he said that “your garden should provide a sense of place and it should be a place where you want to spend time engaging and enjoy caring for”. Tree of Life specializes in native plants suited for Southern California and each plant is provided with a detailed description for the care that it needs, which is very helpful for a novice gardener like me.

The first native flower I planted was an Island Bush Poppy. This should grow to over 5 feet.

So far, I have planted 8 native grasses and flowers and they all seem to be thriving. One of them is the Manzanita “Vandenberg,” so called because it was discovered on the central coast near Vandenberg Air Force Base. The planting direction that I follow is: “dig a hole twice as big as the container, plant with no fertilizer, no soil amendments, just some mulch and native soil.”

Manzanita Vandenberg with deer grass in Bill Geisinger’s wood-fired vase. Its flowers look like lovely upside down vases when looked at closely, its fruit look like mini apples (manzanita in Spanish).

Today, I cut a stem from the Vandenberg and put it in a vase by Bill Geisinger, which is made from California native clay. I do not know what Master Rikyu would have thought about this arrangement, but it was a moment when I realized that the wisdom he had left behind over 400 years ago continues to be relevant as a guide for figuring out a good perspective, and a way of life. Above all, I am grateful that these plants provide a sense of connection to California, even for a transplant like me.

Mastering Simplicity: Ceramics by Bill Geisinger

July 5, 2017Bill Geisinger Ceramics

Wood-fired ceramics by Bill Geisinger in our shop ->

Ceramic works by Bill Geisinger are a poignant reminder of our love for simplicity, natural materials, and the personal connections that are all too often overlooked in this instant technology-driven world.

A simple vase made by Bill Geisinger with beautiful natural ash landscapes

Bill’s works are made using local clay that he dug up himself and fired using eucalyptus wood in his beautiful off-the-beaten track studio and kiln in Sabastopol, California. The fallen ash on the earthy surface of the clay creates exquisite natural landscapes that are surprising and mysteriously captivating.

Over 40 years ago when Bill was an aspiring painter and art student, he visited San Jose State University’s ceramics studio and became enthralled by the tactility of clay and its unique ability to connect with our lives. He went on to study under Professor James Lovera and Harry Nakamoto, who was his teaching assistant at that time. One day in class, Harry showed a film called “The Potters of Japan” by Richard and Marj Peeler. The sound and images reminded Bill of his days growing up in Japan in the early 1960s. “Maybe this was the beginning when I became a potter” Bill muses.

Potter Bill Geisinger’s rustic kiln and studio in Sabastopol California

So began Bill’s life-long love affair with clay that continues to the present day. Bill was hired to establish the clay department at De Anza College, which also played a big role in shaping his growth as an artist as he points out that “there was continual interaction to learn and grow from the many visiting artists and the students themselves.”

As an addition to his learning, Bill also regularly takes groups of people who are deeply interested in Japanese ceramics over to Japan to visit with local potters. In the past few years, I have traveled with the group as its interpreter and on each trip, we visit over 15 potters in various regions.

Bill discussing firing techniques with Japanese potter Kohara Yasuhiro in Shigaraki, Japan

Bill must have visited over a hundred Japanese potters by now, and I am amazed at how his love of the material and process continues to keep him curious and intensely interested in what others do. He says that he is most fascinated by how they work, generate ideas, and motivate themselves.

Bill aims to create work that is quiet, simple, useful, and that has a meaningful connection to nature. To me, it is notable that a potter like Bill who has seen so many alternative processes and techniques tested by others wants to create ‘simple’ work using traditional methods.

Bill introducing charcoal to his kiln at the last stage of firing. Charcoal increases the temperature and deprives oxygen, causing the clay surfaces to reduce. Bill says it is his way to add “touch” to his work, because reduction changes the texture and color

In a world where 3D printers can create complex and fascinating ceramic forms from your imagination, and kilns can be controlled to exacting temperatures with a computer, what is the significance of digging up clay and chopping wood to fire for 4 days in a self-built kiln? Simplicity is a concept that is seemingly easy to understand but remarkably difficult to practice these days.

Two small vases by Bill Geisinger that accidentally fused together during firing

Perhaps the significance lies in the fact that any vessel can hold water, but a quiet vessel made using natural materials and with attention to the process provides us with space and allows us to dream. Like the time when I looked at Bill’s vase and imagined how the ashes flew around in the hot kiln. Or another time when I felt inspired to put a flower bud in the vase and self-reflect, or invited friends and prepared some tea. Because even in this age where the Internet is always within reach, our most important connection to beauty is personal and emotional.

The Flavor of the Earth: The Rustic Ceramics of Shigaraki

February 25, 2015Ceramics Shigaraki

Situated below Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture and surrounded by the low mountains where the famous Koka Ninja mercenaries perfected their deadly skills during the Warring States period is the pottery town of Shigaraki. Last fall I accompanied a pottery tour group organized by Bill Geisinger and Ben Horiuchi to this sedate town where we met local potters who practice the old art of wood-firing unglazed Shigaraki pottery.

Shigaraki jar by Takahashi Rakusai. The jar displays the landscape of fire color (hi-iro), scorch (koge) and burst rocks (ishihaze). The white feldspar dots protruding out of the surface of the clay are lovingly called kani-no-me (crab eyes) by enthusiasts.
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

Shigaraki is one of the oldest pottery towns in Japan with a history dating back more than 1,200 years. Historians say that local kilns were producing roof tiles when the emperor Shomu briefly relocated his palace to the area from Kyoto in 742 AD. These days, many Japanese know Shigaraki for its Tanuki or Japanese raccoon dog ceramic figures that became popular after the Meiji (1868-1912) era.

Shigaraki racoon dog figures are considered to be auspicious icons that bring good fortune.
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

By the mid 13^th century, historical accounts suggest that Shigaraki began production of simple unglazed wares with irregular colors ranging from gray to reddish orange and even black. Its distinct rough surface is due to the local clay that naturally contains numerous pieces of feldspar and silica stones of various sizes. The surface markings are achieved by a very primitive form of wood-firing kiln called Anagama.

Close up of a Shigaraki vase by Kohara Yasuhiro showing the dynamic textures and colors created naturally by the clay, fire and ash. The green wash (bidoro) is achieved by the vitrified ash from pine wood used to fire the kiln.
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

These wares, like jars and urns, were coil built and made mostly for use by farmers. In the late 16^th Century, tea masters of the late Muromachi and Momoyama (1573-1603) periods deemed these simple vessels to be of exquisite beauty for their flavor of the earth or tsuchiaji. For example, the antique Shigaraki uzukumaru, small jars for storing seeds, are highly prized as flower vases.

Looking at Shigaraki pottery, I feel similar emotions as when I see a weathered piece of wood, or old stones covered in beautiful moss. It reminds me of the power of nature and triggers both awe and longing to connect with its essence.

In our exploration of Shigaraki, we first visited Kohara Yasuhiro, an internationally famous potter who owns a large gallery and shop in the heart of Shigaraki town that features many local potters’ work.

Shigaraki small jars and large plate by Kohara Yasuhiro
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

Kohara-san’s work combines the rough Shigaraki clay with the natural and beautiful markings from the Anagama kiln. A prime example is the green glassy pool and dragonfly eye formed by the collected pine wood ash and bright orange clay surface against the dark koge or burn marks. His work is refreshingly free and contemporary while boldly reflecting the tradition and spirit of old Shigaraki ware.

Kohara-san explained that while it is often said that what happens inside a wood-fired kiln cannot be controlled, it can be anticipated through experience. His work clearly demonstrates his knowledge and expertise in the process, and potters from all over the world seek advice from him.

For those lucky enough to be going to the 28th Annual North Carolina Potter’s Conference taking place next week, you will be able to meet this talented potter along with his wife Kohara Shizuko who will be giving a presentation on Shigaraki pottery on March 5.

Anagama kiln of Kohara Yasuhiro. Left: Kohara Yasuhiro, Right: Bill Geisinger

Another potter we visited was Takahashi Rakusai V, whose family has been making wares in Shigaraki for over 180 years. The Takahashi Rakusai kiln was started by Takahashi Tozaemon, who was regarded as one of the master tea ceramics makers in the late Tokugawa Shogunate era (1853-1868).

Tea ceramics by Takahashi Rakusai
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

But by the time that Tozaemon was active in the early to mid 19^th Century, Shigaraki had already lost its leading role as a tea ceramics maker. Many of its kilns were converted to the mass-production of glazed wares with processed clay that had all of the feldspar and silica particles removed.

Takahashi Rakusai III took over the running of the family kiln in 1917 and sought to revive the beauty of unglazed tea ceramics made during the Momoyama period. His efforts were instrumental in beginning the gradual revival of unglazed Shigaraki pottery. Takahashi Rakusai III was designated as the Shiga Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property in 1964.

The inside of the snake kiln (jagama), a type of anagama at the Takahashi Rakusai kiln.
The family fires three different types of wood-fired kilns.
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

The Takahashi family continues today to produce tea ceramics and other pots for daily use. The current Takahashi Rakusai V took over the family title in 2010 and is known for his tranquil and simple work style. He is an avid student of chaji or tea matters who had studied with the renowned tea scholar Kazue Hyonenshi, and chabana or tea flower with Kato Tansai.

The three generations of potters at Takahashi Rakusai Kiln. From the left, Takahashi Rakusai IV, the current Takahashi Rakusai V and his daughter Yoshiko who is also a potter.
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

The last potter that we visited was Arakawa Satoshi, who fell in love with Shigaraki clay and relocated from far away Yamagata prefecture. I was especially excited to meet him because I had seen his beautiful work at the contemporary Japanese ceramics exhibit at the Mingei Museum in San Diego in 2012.

Shigaraki potter Arakawa Satoshi’s Anagama. In the last remodel, he increased the height of his chimney.
(Photos by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

As with many Shigaraki artist potters that fire Anagama, Arakawa-san designs and builds his own kiln. He excitedly showed us the improvements that he had made to the kiln and also the area in his backyard where some of the local clay can be found.

Arakawa-san makes beautiful large jars with spectacular fire colors, that were accepted by the Japan Kogei Association for two consecutive years. He also creates lovely table wares, especially sake wares.

Shigaraki sake cups and bottles by Arakawa Satoshi
(Photo by Tomoko Matsubayashi)

The visit to Shigaraki made me think about the interesting evolution that old Japanese pottery towns are going through. Many, if not most of them, look to make progress by improving efficiency at the high cost of discarding their local traditions and distinctiveness. Fortunately for many pottery towns like Shigaraki, influential visionaries have fought to continue the traditional ways that are deemed essential for making beautiful work that are distinctive to their local regions.

By sharing these brief stories of Kohara-san, the Takahashi family, and Arakawa-san, I hope to have piqued your curiosity into learning more about Shigaraki pottery. After all, our interest in Shigaraki ceramics is the best assurance for the preservation of its tradition.

—>> Visit photographer Tomoko Matsubayashi’s website to see more photos of Shigaraki.

From the Bottom Up

January 14, 2014Ceramics Topics

Handmade ceramics come in all forms and colors and choosing one for daily use is a very personal experience. When I select a piece of pottery, one of the first things I do is to flip it over and examine its bottom or foot. This is because the underside of handmade ceramics offers a wealth of fascinating information about its origins and nature.

The bottoms of eight cups by eight artists demonstrate their individual creative decisions and philosophies.
Top row from left: Joseph Pintz, Hanako Nakazato, Kristen Kieffer, Ayumi Horie
Bottom row from left: Peter Pincus, Marc Digeros, Birdie Boone, Bill Geisinger

Some of the questions that I ask are: What does the bottom look like? What type of clay has been used? Is there a foot, and if so, what type is it? Does the maker sign the pot? Is it trimmed on the bottom?

The answers to these questions are the choices that the potter made, and appreciating these decisions are enjoyable and more important than explaining them. The underside of a ware is like a window into the spirit and philosophy of the work and its maker.

The foot reveals the type of clay that is used to make the pot. This may not be obvious at first glance because most ceramic pieces are glazed, but it is quite easy to tell through a close look at the foot. Many potters spend a lot of time selecting and mixing the right clay and accompanying glaze for their work, so the choice of clay is a significant part of the story of their work.

The stunning foot of a Madara Karatsu sake cup by Michael Martino of Gotanbayashi Kiln.
The fine wrinkles (chirimen jiwa) are characteristic of Karatsu clay.

You might also want to think about the choice of clay for your pot depending on its purpose. For example, I like noodle bowls in porcelain because they are easier to clean. However, I prefer teacups in stoneware because porcelain containing hot water becomes too hot to hold and the tea gets cold quickly. For antique pottery collectors, the clay can also reveal when and where the pot was made.

Bizen sake vessel by Koide Naoe on left and small flower vase by Toukichi on right.
Both pots are made in Bizen but are very different in clay texture. Koide studied under old Bizen (ko-Bizen) master Harada Shuroku and his passion for clay is clearly evident in the flavor-of-clay (tsuchiaji) in his work.

Lastly, the foot of the pot can also offer clues to the firing process that the piece underwent. If the item is fired with wood, it may have marks on the bottom from the wads that were placed to prevent it from sticking to the kiln shelf. Some pieces by the same artist may have different clay colors because they are placed in different areas of the kiln.

The foot of a wood-fired sake vessel by Hanako Nakazato with beautiful wad marks.

So the next time you have the happy chore of choosing a pot, go and look at its underside. I am so intrigued by this underbelly of ceramic ware that I always make sure there are photographs from this angle on my website and online shop. To me it is just as important as the other more visible parts of the ware because it will offer you another perspective into the origins and characters of these items as shaped by their makers.

A Tour of the Pottery Towns of Southern Japan: Part III: Hagi

June 4, 2013Ceramics Hagi Travels

The small tranquil town of Hagi is situated at the western end of Honshu Island far from the bright lights and maddening crowds of Japan’s big cities. I was excited to set foot here in the company of the pottery group tour organized by Bill Geisinger and Ben Horiuchi because I had recently been drawn to the quiet beauty of Hagi-ware and was eager to find out more about the origins and nature of this celebrated tea ware.

Old samurai residence in Hagi castle town in Yamaguchi prefecture. Hagi is home to revolutionaries like Takasugi Shinsaku, who contributed to overthrowing the shogunate and launching the Meiji Restoration.

Even though Hagi is off the beaten track and appears to be a sleepy backwater, do not be misled by outward appearances. This isolated town has had an outsized influence on the cultural, industrial, and political history of Japan through its famed Hagiyaki pottery and as the home of some of the leading revolutionaries and industrialists responsible for the Meiji Restoration from the second half of the 19^th Century.

Hagi owes its colorful history to the confluence of historical circumstances and geography. When local lord Mori Terumoto found himself on the losing side in the famous battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he decided to channel some of his focus and wealth to the pursuit of perfecting the making of Korean style tea bowls that were all the rage among feudal lords during this period in between their political intrigues and internal wars for domination.

Terumoto brought two Korean potters to Hagi, which is less than 150 miles from the Korean Peninsula across the Sea of Japan. The two potters, brothers Lee Jak-Gwang (李勺光 이작광) and Lee Gyeong (李敬 이경), were the creative masters behind the genesis of Hagiyaki.

A typical Hagi-ware is either white or a warm loquat or ‘Biwa’ orange in color with no decoration. Its austere form might “seem bland and unfinished at first sight”, says Hatano Hideo, a Hagi potter from the Hatano Shigetsu-gama Kiln. But he further explains “this is because Hagi-ware is not complete until it is used”. What Hatano is pointing out is that not only is Hagi-ware created for the explicit purpose of being used, but that it also dramatically changes color through use.

Loquat or “biwa” teabowls at Hatano Shigetsu-gama kiln in Hagi.

Many Hagiyaki are still made by traditional wood firing in a Korean style multi-chambered climbing kiln. The local clay is rough, sandy, and resistant to heat, and does not harden unless fired to an extremely high temperature. The ingenious Hagi potters turned this serious disadvantage into a major advantage and distinctive characteristic of Hagiyaki.

Multi-chambered climbing kiln at Seiunzan Okada-gama in Hagi.

In their experimentation many centuries ago, the pioneering Hagi potters found that when the pots were fired just enough to melt the glaze but not harden the clay completely, the expansion difference with the clay and glaze caused minute cracks or crackles on the glaze. As a result, when a Hagi tea bowl is used, the tea is absorbed through these cracks into the soft clay and slowly stains the pot. This gradual and exquisite change in color is commonly referred to as “the seven transformations of Hagi” or “Hagi no nanabake”.

On the left is a brand new Hagiyaki tea cup from Hadano Shigetsu-gama kiln. To the right is the same cup after several weeks of use. The staining through the cracks is already visible.

The war making but tea loving feudal lords were enamored with this rustic, aged look that these pots developed because they symbolized the beauty of degradation and passage of time cherished in wabi tea. So the powerful and mighty competed to get their hands on Hagiyaki.

The Hagi potters make their own clay by combining three local clays called Daido, Mitake and Mishima. The color transformation through staining is calculated by adding or removing just the right amount of sand, which requires an acute sense of judgment and a wealth of experience. “The clay means everything to our pottery”, said Okada Yu, an eighth generation potter of the Seiunzan Okada Kiln. Okada-san is one of Japan’s most sought after Hagi tea-ware makers.

Hagi-ware is mostly plain in appearance, but many potters show their originality in the foot of their tea bowls by boldly making cuts into them or leaving finger marks. While there are several theories as to the origins of the notched foot, tea aficionados pay considerable attention and relish this feature of Hagiyaki. The potters show much restraint in the shape and glazed surface of the bowl but the foot is where they can show their originality. It is fascinating that a seemingly marring act of cutting the foot is employed by the potter to show their creativity and is in turn appreciated by their fans.

Notched foot of a tea bowl by Okada Yu. The foot reveals the originality and the spirit of the maker.

Contemporary Hagi-ware is not limited to the enjoyment of tea drinkers. The work of Kaneta Masanao of Tenchozan-gama, for example, is very sculptural and brings out the Hagi clay’s chunky and warm texture. Instead of traditional wheel throwing, Kaneta-san shapes his work by slapping the clay with a paddle or a stick and scooping out the inside. The depth of clay is intensified through this unique process and his work is extremely popular internationally.

Water Jar by Kaneta Masanao of Tenchozan-gama in Hagi.

Large sculptural vase by Kaneta Masanao waiting to be glazed and fired. The chunky texture and depth of hagi clay is visible.

How Hagiyaki came about and evolved shows the developmental arc in the history of Japanese tea ceremony and its fascination to the waring feudal lords. It began as a cosmopolitan art form enjoyed by the ruling elites and has today become a much-loved icon of a unique wabi aesthetic, namely simplicity, rustic elegance, and witnessing beauty in the gentle deterioration and passage of time through use.

A Tour of the Pottery Towns of Southern Japan: Part II: Onta

May 7, 2013Onta Ceramics Mingei Travels Ontayaki

Tucked deep in the densely wooded mountains of Kyushu and 300 years away from the hectic pace of the modern world is the rustic village of Onta. Life here has changed little since Yanase San’emon arrived from Koishiwara, another renowned pottery center 16 miles west of Onta, at the beginning of the 18^th Century, to establish a distinctive way of making pottery known as Ontayaki that continues to be practiced by his descendants.

An Onta vase displaying brush patted slip marking or uchi-hakeme, and holding a cherry blossom.

The ten families that live today in Onta can trace their lineage to the three original founders of the Onta kiln in 1705. Besides Yanase, the other two clans are the Sakamoto and Kuroki. Each family passed their pottery knowledge and skills from fathers to sons while the mothers and daughters performed no less important supporting roles. This patrilineal practice has helped to preserve Onta’s original pottery-making techniques in its purest form despite three centuries of generational succession.

Ontayaki was unknown to the rest of Japan until Studio KotoKoto’s philosopher hero and father of the Mingei movement Yanagi Muneyoshi (Soetsu) visited Onta in 1931. He had to walk to the village on foot, as there were no proper roads connecting it with the outside world in his days. Yanagi was keen to go to Onta after first falling in love with the warm simple beauty of Ontayaki at a pottery shop in Fukuoka.

Toothpick holders with chatter marks or tobi-kanna sold at a shop in Onta.

Onta’s traditional way of life and simple approach to making pottery perfectly fitted Yanagi’s vision of Mingei. This was detailed in his book Hita no Sarayama about Onta that put the village on the map in Japan. The famous British potter Bernard Leach also resided in Onta during the 1950s and 1960s, and this broadened the village’s profile onto the global stage.

The people of Onta have taken this fame in their gentle stride. When I arrived in the village on a cold spring morning, I was welcomed by the noise of creaking wood that was followed by a heavy thud. This is the sound of kara-usu, the wooden clay-crushing device that operates like a seesaw and is powered by water from the Hanatsuki River that runs through the middle of the village.

These Kara-usu machines have regulated the pace of clay production in Onta for the last three centuries.

The rhythmic beat of the kara-usu is the reason why Onta has kept to its simple ways and avoided being swept up in the mass consumerism of the modern world. Each family in the village is only allowed two wheels in their workshops because of the slow and limited production of local clay from the kara-usu machines. This means that if a grandson is ready to take over a wheel, his grandfather has to retire to make way. This careful approach by the villagers to managing their land and strictly limiting the scale of output means that there will be plenty of clay left for future generations.

The Hanatsuki River powers the numerous kara-usu in Onta.

At one house, I witnessed a woman busy transferring wet elutriated clay from a trough to a clay-drying kiln. This confirmed what I had read elsewhere that the backbreaking daily work of clay preparation is the responsibility of the Onta women. So to the female readers of this blog, think twice about marrying that handsome potter from Onta because you will find yourself with a very physically demanding job for the rest of your lives. It is truly a revelation to see how much time, work, and space is needed to prepare the clay after seeing the kara-usu, the water pools that dissolve the clay, the clay troughs, and the clay drying kilns.

A woman loads the clay onto a wheel barrel.

Clay is transferred to the top of the clay drying kiln.

The wheel throwing method used in Onta and Koishiwara is strikingly different from the approach that I and many other potters are most familiar with. Instead of starting by centering enough clay to form the entire form, a ball of clay is patted and centered to build the bottom. Coiled clay is subsequently added on top to build the rest of the pot.

This method is called neritsuke and is a hybrid form of wheel throwing and coil building. This technique is said to be only possible because of the mastery of the potter to control the speed of the kick wheel. To watch how this is done, here is a link to a YouTube video of a young Onta potter, Sakamoto So, who is throwing plates and applying uchi-hakeme, which is a brush patted slip marking.

Ontayaki mortar from the father and son kiln of Sakamoto Takumi and So with an example of finger marking or yubikaki.

Onta clay is very smooth with a beautiful brownish yellow color that fires to dark brown because of a high iron content. Together with the slip that fires to light cream white, Ontayaki is ideal tableware as it brings out the color of food on the table.

Onta-ware has several distinct decorative styles that includes the chatter marking or tobi-kanna, uchi-hakeme, and the dynamic finger marking or yubi-kaki. These styles can also be found in the sister kiln of Koishiwara.

Ontayaki on the left and Koishiwarayaki on the right. The two villages share many decorative styles.

My visit to Onta was a deeply profound and eye-opening experience. More than 80 years have passed since Yanagi first went to Onta and far fewer people in today’s mass consumer society are using handmade products than when Yanagi made his pilgrimage to the village. Despite the enormous social, cultural, and economic changes that have occurred during these intervening years, Onta has never succumbed to the enticements of mass consumerism. And because the village’s residents have stood so fervently behind their age-old principles of sustainability and balanced moderation, Onta has thrived.

Ai spies some early works by the next generation of Onta potters.

A key lesson that I take away from Onta is that as long as there is a community of people who understand and cherish the importance of handmade in their everyday life, this tradition will survive and live on in future generations. This is also the essence of what we at Studio Kotokoto are seeking to build, although through the application of modern day tools including the Internet rather than from a remote corner of Japan.

My pottery tour will continue in my future blog.

A Tour of the Pottery Towns of Southern Japan: Part I: Karatsu

April 23, 2013Ceramics Karatsu Travels

As the cherry blossom season beckoned in Japan this spring, I had a wonderful opportunity to travel to Southern Japan to be the interpreter for a tour of classic pottery towns organized by renowned American potters Bill Geisinger and Ben Horiuchi. It was a fascinating 10 day journey that covered a lot of ground and allowed the tour participants to meet and see the activities and lives of potters from all walks of life in Southern Japan. I will be sharing my observations of these towns and the accomplished potters that have made this part of Japan a vibrant and dynamic center of pottery creativity in this blog in the coming weeks.

Cherry blossoms at Nakazato Tarouemon Studio in Karatsu, Saga, Japan

The first stop of the tour was Karatsu in Saga prefecture. Karatsu is one of the most famous pottery towns in Japan and its name literally means “port to Tang (China)”. This is fitting, as the town has been a major trading port to Korea, China, and the rest of Japan.

The development of Karatsu-ware began more than 400 years ago. A key reason for this was the arrival of craftsmen from Korea brought by Japanese warlords following two invasions of Korea in the 16^th Century. These potters produced ware for tea ceremonies that were very popular among the Japanese elites during this period.

An example of “Korean style karatsu” or “chosen karatsu” vase welcomed us at the Nakazato Tarouemon studio.

The Korean craftsmen brought with them two technologies that revolutionized Japanese pottery making: the kick-wheel, and the multi-chambered climbing kiln. These technologies allowed for faster and larger scale pottery production in comparison to the hand-wheel and Anagama kiln that was used in Japan prior to this technological revolution.

The multi-chambered climbing kiln of Nakazato Tarouemon pottery built in 1734. This kiln was in use until the early 1900s.
(Photo courtesy of Beorn Johnson)

Karatsu-ware or Karatsuyaki, is made of clay high in iron content that fires to a reddish-gray color and encompasses many styles. The styles that I am most familiar with are ‘picture karatsu’ or ‘e-karatsu’, which have simple drawings of plants and birds, and Korean style karatsu or ‘chosen karatsu’ that has a black glaze with runny white ash glaze over it.

Many Japanese, including myself, find that simplicity is more appealing than glitter and complexity, because one can only understand the beauty of simplicity through experience and the steady accumulation of knowledge. It is a very personal appeal that is nurtured and intensified over time and repeated use. It is similar to the sentiment you will have towards your favorite t-shirt or tea mug that is so comfortable because you have used it over the years.

Karatsu-ware today is sought-after by avid collectors and formal tea drinkers for their simple and rustic elegance. Although I am not very familiar with the formal way of Japanese tea ceremonies, even I know the Japanese saying, “Raku first, Hagi second, Karatsu third”, which denotes the rank order of the three preferred types of pottery used in Japanese tea ceremonies. But some of my Japanese friends who are knowledgeable about tea ceremonies say that they are most drawn to Karatsu-ware.

Paddle tools used to slap the coil built vessel walls at the Nakazato Tarouemon studio. This clay forming method is called “tataki giho”, a traditional method that was lost but revived by the late living national treasure, Nakazato Tarouemon XII.

In Karatsu, I was especially excited to visit the Nakazato family kilns. The Nakazato name should be well known to anyone who regularly visits the Studio Kotokoto website because of Hanako Nakazato, who is one of our most talented artists. The Nakazato family has resided in Karatsu for the past four centuries and they include famous potters such as Nakazato Tarouemon, Nakazato Takashi and Nakazato Shigetoshi who are all relatives of Hanako. It was my private mission to get a glimpse of where Hanako came from to gain an appreciation of the traditions and lifestyle that have shaped her and her style of pottery.

“Petal-edged” or “rinka” plates at Nakazato Shigetoshi’s Sangengama.

The sturdy, unpretentious beauty of Karatsu-ware profoundly moved me. I felt very familiar with their time-tested and functional forms because I have witnessed their essence in Hanako’s work.

Bob Okasaki’s beautiful studio was built in the traditional Japanese style without nails

Another potter we visited in Karatsu was Bob Okasaki, who is a native of California but is now settled in Karatsu. Bob opened his own kiln called Tourigama after many years of apprenticeships under Fujiwara Yu, a famous potter in Bizen, followed by Nakazato Takashi, Hanako’s father, and Nakazato Tarouemon XII, who was a living national treasure.

I love what Bob does because he has so many beautiful works adorned with drawings of animals and plants. Bob and the Nakazato family are very close because he married Keiko, a daughter of Nakazato Tarouemon XII. Hanako, who was busy loading a kiln for a show in Tokyo, stopped by at Bob’s studio and I was happy that I got to meet her to say hello.

Baby boar plate by Bob Okazaki.

The tour group had a wonderful time in Karatsu, a town in a remote corner of Japan but with a very open and international feel to it. This undoubtedly stems from the town’s proximity to Korea and China, which makes it an important regional cultural gateway.

In my next tour blog, I will talk about our visit to Onta, a pottery village hidden in the deep mountains of Oita.