Love the work of this elegant artist, here is an exquisite beer cup by Doi Masafumi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji Tensenmon Mugi-shu-Hai. It is 13 cm (5-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist. This would make a stunning gift for someone born in summer.
Doi Masafumi was born in Nara prefecture in 1972, and graduated the Aichi prefectural ceramic research facility in 2000...

Rich Oribe influenced mizusashi with hakeme (hakame) and impressed design. In the firing, the glaze ran off the pot to form a dragonfly eye style drip. The drip makes the pot a bit uneven, but I could not bring myself to grind off the drip. The foot can easily be stabilized with the addition of two felt pads

Stoneware, slip and traditional Oribe glaze

5.75" X 8.6"

This bold and large Oribe chawan is decorated with a myriad of vivid and whimsical designs, combining both traditional and modern elements that speak to the possibilities of the tradition. Created by the extremely talented Ikeda Shogo (b...

Form and void are everything with Wada Akira, and this piece is a fine example of that idea. Akira uses no decoration, no overt gestures to get our attention, but relies on simplicity and elegant shapes covered in his pure white glazes. This comes in the original signed wooden box titled Hakuji Chaire.
Size, D 6.9 cm H 9.1 cm
Condition, Excellent
Wada Akira b.1978,has become certainly one of the most well known names for his mastery in Hakuji glaze...

It is a privilege to introduce this incredible sculpture by the young female ceramicist Furui Akiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tsubomi (bud) dating from 2017. It is made up of hundreds of rolled sheafs of shaved clay covered in a white slip and fused together. The amount of work which goes into each sculpture is obvious, making her work great value.
Furui Akiko was born in Aichi prefecture in 1987...

In Japan, famous for its generational potting families, only a handful have made it all the way through to the 14th generation—the Nakazato line being one of them with over 400 years of history. Handcrafted by the current 14th potter in the renowned Karatsu tradition, this piece displays subtle, earthy tones and organic textures reminiscent of nature...

Kaku-gata, squared teabowl form with combed kushime slip decoration and haiyu and temmoku glazes over. The small, pedestal foot is cut square to compliment the form.

Stoneware, slip and glazes

This teabowl measures 4.75 across the face, 5.75" diagonally and 4" tall

Functional, decorative and food safe

A large Sculpture vase befitting any Museum collection by Mihara Ken enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Sekki Kigen 09. 
Size, D 30.9 cm  H 25.1  cm  
Condition, Excellent 
Mihara Ken was born in Shimane prefecture in 1958, and apprenticed under Funaki Kenji at the age of 23...

An iconic work in ivory colored covers this tea bowl which comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Zoge-ji Chawan and date 2015.  Up from the base drive two fingers of dark gray clay, the blanks left by the artists fingers when he dipped the bowl in glaze.  This adds a strong sense of connection between the artist and user. This is a great opportunity to acquire a very special piece by this artist...

A traditionally crafted Bizen sake cup shaped in the tradition of Oribe. The rich mineral glaze gives this guinomi an almost a metallic look. The craftsman who made this piece, Takahiro Ishii, was born in Tokyo in 1977, and, after studying ceramics for a number of years, he moved to Bizen to become a ceramics teacher and later opened his own kiln...

An incredibly elegant form by Ikegami Eichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji HIsago Kaki (Gourd Shaped vessel). It is 30.5 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Ikegami Eichi was born in Kanazawa City, home of Kutani porcelain, in 1931, and during his time at the Kanazawa University of Art he submitted sculptures and was awarded at the Hokuriku Art Exhibitoin and Ishikawa Modern Art Exhibitions, graduating university in 1953...

Studio Pottery Kyo ware Red Glaze Tokkuri (Sake Bottle) by Yoshinori Izumi (b...

A very beautiful and attractive vase covered with a red, mottled glaze in the shape of a squat bottle with flat but slightly curving sides. Signed Eizo,* a disciple of Kawai Kanjiro. The piece is signed with the artist’s impressed seal in the bottom. Original, inscribed and signed box. H 21,5 x 20 x 12 cm. ca...

Size
Height 6cm
Diameter 15cm

There is a tiny chip on base.

Comes with signed wooden box


Takuo Kato, born in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture in 1917, gained recognition early in his career when his Green Glaze Vase was featured in the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition of 1956...

Wood-fired Plate, Shino & Ash Glazes, by George Gledhill; Payette, ID. H.2.375"(6cm) x Dia.14"(35.5cm.) There have been several influences to George Gledhill’s ceramic work. Buddhism has been a guiding force in life for many years, and George even visits local prisons to teach the Dharma to inmates. Through pottery and Buddhism, he was exposed to Tea practitioners who complimented his work and encouraged him to produce Tea wares...

A white porcelain vessel by Sakurai Yasuko permeated with holes in a style typical of her work. It is 16 cm diameter, 8 cm tall and in excellent condition enclosed in a paper box. According to the Met: Sakurai Yasuko first studied ceramics in Kyoto, before becoming an artist in residence in Shigaraki, and then in Limoges, France. She makes perforated, unglazed, white porcelain forms that are studies in light and shadow. These forms are created around bundles of mold-cast porcelain tubes and th...

A fabulous wavering form accentuates the fissured ice-like glaze of celadon master Uraguchi Masayuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji Kokusho Mizusashi. The black lacquered lid is like a dark pool in the middle of the flaring body. The sleek shape is very much his own, and the deeply crackled glazes he employs have been developed over a lifetime of experimentation. His success rate with pieces like this does not exceed 30 percent, making them quite rare and difficult to...

A dramatic Shino Mizusashi covered in flowing glaze by Sakai Kobu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 20 cm tall, 19cm diameter and in excellent condition.
“I follow no teacher. I take no disciples. Independent, I don't get along well with public exhibitions”. Kobu Sakai from Toki City, one of Japan’s ceramic heartlands, has mastered Shino through self-study. He succeeded a kiln mass producing generic pottery, but decided he wanted to make his own works. “I walked...

A spectacular organic form by Tsugiura Yasuyoshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tsubaki to Kameleon . A wonderful work to represent this artists unique style.
Size, D 11.1 cm H 12.4 cm
Condition, Excellent
Yasuyoshi was born in Tokyo in 1949, after graduating from Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music open his kiln in Kangawa at the age of 35.He won the Grand Prize at the First Annual Paramita Museum Ceramic Art Exhibition,won the Gold Prize at...

A truly unique work of Shino pottery developed among the company of some of Japan’s most respected and influential potters of the last century. Defying conventions of form and genre, this exceptional mizusashi looks like it could have emerged from the ground fully formed, the result of geological processes lasting millennia. The creator of this fine work is none other than Tsuboshima Dohei, a true master of the ceramic arts.

Born in 1929, at the age of 17 Tsuboshima took an appre...

An inspiring sake set showing a plethora of Yohen kiln effects by Nakamura Makoto, each piece enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Yohen Hyotan Tokkuri and Bizen Sake-nomi respectively. Over the pale, sheer clay deposits of ash glaze, goma kasu and hi-iro scorching combine with smoky black staining for a very unique experience. The perfect compliment to the charms of a good bottle of sake.
Size,Tokkuri W 10.2 cm H 12.8 cm
Size,Guinomi W 8.3 cm H 8.1 ...

This magnificent chawan is a perfect embodiment of the Oribe tradition of Japanese pottery by legendary master and modern avangarde artist Suzuki Goro, mint condition and enclosed in its original signed wood box.

He surely needs no introduction. Suzuki is one of those once in 500 years' type of artists. Suzuki Goro is a potter who goes beyond that usual appellation. He has developed his own way of expressing himself through ceramics, basing his work on traditional styles from the M...

Takuro makes the most characteristic pottery I have ever seen here in Japan , and when you look on this particular piece it’s easy to understand why. Here is a superb example of his Kairagi large Tea Bowl. It has Tomo everything, Artists history, wrapping cloth, a silk pouch, with his fingerprint all over the signed box.
Size, D 14.6 x 15.4 cm H 10.2 x 11.6 cm
Condition, Excellent
Takuro was born in 1981 in Hiroshima. He graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, at K...

This remarkable tea bowl is from the kilns of Yoshida Shuen (1940-1987)—an apprentice of Miwa Kyusetsu (1910-2012) who was awarded the status of Living National Treasure in 1983. It features a warm crackled glazing with a few small portions of the foot of the tea bowl exposed, displaying the somewhat reddish coarse clay that this piece is fashioned from.

Hagi-yaki has a tradition stretching back over 400 years and is a high-fired stoneware type of pottery. Hagi-ware is prized for...

Acanthus leaf patterned inlaid painted Guinomi in warm colors of brownish yellow and pale brown, by Wada Morihiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. A superb example of the work by this popular Artist.
Size, D 7.1 cm H 6.6 cm
Condition, Excellent
Wada was born in Hyogo prefecture and apprenticed under Kyotos Tomimoto Kenkichi before moving to his current location in 1976. He has displayed at the Nihon Togei Ten (National Ceramics Exhibition) and Nihon Dento Koge...

White blossoms decorate a scattering of branches on the surface of this footed sweets dish by Kondo Yutaka enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled FunKa Daizara. It is 8 inches (21 cm) diameter, 3 inches (8 cm) tall and is in excellent condition. The deeply impressed white patterns are striking against black.
Kondo Yutaka (1932-1983) was born into a traditional pottery family in Kyoto. He studied under Living National Treasures Kondo Yuzo and Tomimoto Kenkichi at the Kyoto Mu...

Sake Cup, Guinomi, by Tagami Munetoshi of Hinata Kiln, Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture. Kuro (black) and Nuka (Rice Husk Ash) glazes. H.2"(5cm) x Dia.3.125"(8cm.) Tagami Munetoshi (b. 1972) is the son of Tagami Isamu and grandson of Sudo Takeo. He is the 5th generation of potters in Mashiko’s Hinatagama (Hinata Kiln) founded during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) by Sudo Yujiro. At the age of 16, he started his apprenticeship under his grandfather and then right after high school went to America to m...

A morphic vessel of rough outer form like a fossilized egg or bowl of coral covered from the rim within by slick blue, a quintessential work by Tanoue Shinya enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kara-wan (Empty Shell). It has a wide, rounded form which is surprisisngly pleasant to hold, and the smooth blue decorating the rim is pleasing to the lips. The shape allows for a very stable silhouette, which seems to anchor itself to whatever surface it rests upon.
Size, D 15.4 ...

Matcha Chawan, Tea Bowl, by John Miller; Portland, OR. Shino Glaze with Iron Underglaze Brushwork. H. 3.125"(8cm) x Dia. 4.375"(11cm.) John Salgir Miller was born in Elmira, NY, in 1974 and earned his BFA in ceramics and illiustration from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. He has been inspired the mingei aesthetic and by the work of Shoji Hamada since he began studying ceramics in high school. While at Mass Art studying under Ben Ryterband (who spent time studying pottery in Japan,) ...

Tea Bowl, Matcha Chawan. Temmoku & Nuka Glazes. John Miller; Portland, OR. H. 3.375"(8.5cm) x Dia. 4.0"(10.25cm.) John Salgir Miller was born in Elmira, NY, in 1974 and earned his BFA in ceramics and illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. He has been inspired the mingei aesthetic and by the work of Shoji Hamada since he began studying ceramics in high school. While at Mass Art studying under Ben Ryterband (who spent time studying pottery in Japan,) he had the chance to se...

A phoenix flairs majestically out in minute detail on this large sometsuke vase by Nakamoto Chikuzan enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Written with an exacting hand, the bird is made up of hundreds of tiny strokes of the masters brush. Ordinarily we do not work with sometsuke however this is a powerful piece deserving exception. The vase is 13 inches (33 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Nakamoto Chikuzan I (1911-2000) cultivated his roots at the Tobe Industrial School before emba...

Incredible Masahiko square plate by Shimaoka Tatsuzo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Zogan Aka-e Kusabana bun Kakuzara. This is a superb example of the work of this Living National Treasure!
Size, D 27.4 x 28.8 cm H 7.8 cm
Condition, Excellent
After serving in World War II, Tatsuzo apprenticed under world famous Mashiko Mingei potter Hamada Shoji, establishing his own kiln in 1954. Working with rope patterns, Tatsuzo set out to create a style unique to...

Guinomi, Sake Cups, Mashiko-yaki, by Tagami Isamu of Hinata Kiln. Faceted sides, Kaki (persimmon) glaze with red & green overglaze enamel decoration. H. 2.375"(6cm) x Dia. 2.5"(6.5cm.) Volume=4oz (120cc.) Tagami Isamu was born in 1947 in Mooka, a village neighboring to Mashiko. He married into the Sudo family and apprenticed under Sudo Takeo. He was originally trained as a Japanese chef and had his own restaurant before embarking on a career in pottery, giving him a unique perspective on functio...

Low and wide chawan with temmoku and haiyu ash glaze over a kushime combed decoration. This bowl is very influenced by the famous Momoyama Shino chawan Mine(no)Momiji

Stoneware, slip and glazes

6.25" X 3.25"

Functional, decorative and food safe

Round vase with my ao glaze over black and white slip with a banded spirali pattern

Stoneware,slips and glazes

10.5" X 6"

Functional, decorative and food safe

Wood-fired Tokkuri, Sake Decanter, by John Benn; Harstine Island, WA. Natural Ash Glaze. H. 6.75"(17.25cm) x Dia. 4"(10cm.) natural Ash Glaze Drip at rim, shell wadding remains on body. John Benn studied with F. Carleton Ball and Ken Stevens at the U. of Puget Sound in Tacoma, and with Howard Shapiro and Sandra Simon in the MFA Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1976, he built his first wood kiln. Now, he and his wife, Colleen Gallagher, make wood-fired pottery among t...

An exquisite work of delicate and elegant petals by challenging female artist Shingu Sayaka enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gakuyo Wan and date to 2018 . A closed bud on the side is lined with hundreds of tiny sharp needles in black.
Size, D 13.6 cm H 9.5 cm
Condition, New
Shingu Sayaka was born in Osaka, the industrial and commercial heartland of central Japan, in 1979. She graduated the Osaka University of Arts in 2001, before being selected as an...

Elegant cap jar glazed in my temmoku with a runny iron tetsu partridge feather glaze. This cap jar resembles some Tamba and karatsu works and has a rich variety of iron, green and grey-black tones to the runny overglaze.

Stoneware and glazes

10.5" x 6.5"

Functional, decorative and food safe

Guinomi, sake cup, hand-thrown of naturally sourced materials, gas-fired, by George Gledhill. H.2.25" x Dia.2.75". There have been several influences to George Gledhill’s ceramic work. Buddhism has been a guiding force in life for many years, and George even visits local prisons to teach the Dharma to inmates. Through pottery and Buddhism, he was exposed to Tea practitioners who complimented his work and encouraged him to produce Tea wares. Their introduction to the world of Tea Ceremony has h...

A fine Tokkuri by the greatest Shigaraki Legend Tsujimura Shiro. It is enclosed in the original signed wooden box.

Shiro was born in Nara in 1947, likely needs no introduction, certainly one of Japans most well known potters, he has been displayed both nationally and internationally innumerable times.

Tsujimura Shiro first became interested in pottery while studying to be a painter in Tokyo. He rejected the notion of apprenticing with an established master or attending art s...

This magnificent chawan is a perfect embodiment of the Oribe tradition of Japanese pottery by legendary master and modern avangarde artist Suzuki Goro, mint condition and enclosed in its original signed wood box.

He surely needs no introduction. Suzuki is one of those once in 500 years' type of artists. Suzuki Goro is a potter who goes beyond that usual appellation. He has developed his own way of expressing himself through ceramics, basing his work on traditional styles from the M...

A deep Choho-zara rectangular dish decorated with morning glories in dark rust and red over yellow with a black rim, a striking combination by Kyoto female artist Takagi Hoko enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Created from a heavy slab, the sides were raised and carved with wave patterns covered in white with a raw base chiseled out in long horizontal strokes. On the base is a worn piece of paper which gives the artists address and names the work, leading one to believe this was exhib...

A stunning pair of sake cups depicting rabbits by the famous Kutani potter Matsumoto Saiichi 松本佐一 (b. 1930), using his signature technique, porcelain with underglaze gold leaf. Title: Sake Cups (sakazuki 坏) Medium: porcelain with underglaze gold leaf and overglaze enamel Size: Wider: 3.2 x 8.6 cm and Taller: 5.4 x 4.6 cm Signature in enamel on the bottom of both pieces: Saiichi (佐一) Date: Heisei Period, 1998 for 1999 Condition: no flaws: no cracks or r...

Tea Bowl, Matcha Chawan. Celadon Ash & Nuka Glazes with Iron Slip. John Miller; Portland, OR. H. 3.0"(7.5cm) x Dia. 5.0"(12.75cm.) John Salgir Miller was born in Elmira, NY, in 1974 and earned his BFA in ceramics and illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. He has been inspired the mingei aesthetic and by the work of Shoji Hamada since he began studying ceramics in high school. While at Mass Art studying under Ben Ryterband (who spent time studying pottery in Japan,) he had...

A spectacular Shino Chawan featuring clouds of red over fissured white by the important artist Hayashi Shotaro enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Manyo Shino Renzan Chawan. Shotaro has cupped and misshapen the bowl into five subtly flattened sides, with an undulating rim. The lower half a series of mountains in white, blue and russet iron in a brightly and beautiful morning surrounding the city of Toki, where the artist has been firing pottery for over 40 years. Truly a spectacula...

One of the finest, most daring, and well-crafted works I have seen by this legendary artist who is known for his non-conformist and bold style. Suzuki Goro has outdone himself with this Rose Oribe ceremonial tea bowl. Oribe is a visual style named after the late-16th-century tea master Furuta Oribe (1544-1615). The most common types in this genre are Oribe-guro with jet-black glazes and feldspar ornamentation, Ao-Oribe with dark-green glazes, followed by the somewhat rarer type of Oribe known as...

A fabulous faceted Iga vessel by Atarashi Manabu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The rough textured clay is colored by the flame, burnt red and charred gray to black, with a single bead of molten ash which crystalized into glass as it rolled around the shoulder out of the flames. This is a versatile vessel which offers differing scenes for every viewing angle. The vase is 23 cm (9 inches) tall, 16.5 x 13 cm (6-1/2 x 5 inches) and in excellent condition, directly from the artist this ...

Exhibition quality Aka-Shino chawan by master Mino potter; Hayashi Shotaro

Double boxed with handmade tea cloth

5.65" x 4"

Excellent unused condition, mint!

An amazing plethora of Yohen kiln effects with thick white Shino glaze by Matsuzaki Ken enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haikabu Yohen Shino-Chawan. A sumptuous work exploiting the best of Matsuzaki Ken pottery has to offer.
Size, D 12.2 cm H 10.2 cm
Condition, Excellent
Matsuzaki Ken was born in Tokyo in 1950, and grew up in that dynamic post war era where tradition and modernity were at constant loggerheads. He graduated Tamagawa University in 1972, ...

An austere bottle glazed in rich green copper by the highly acclaimed Okabe Mineo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Oribe Ichirin Sashi. It is 21 cm (8-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Okabe Mineo (1919-1990) was born the first son of important artist Kato Tokuro, however the relationship with his father was volatile. When he was 9 Tokuro moved the young family to Seto, where Mineo would graduate the Aichi Prefectural Ceramics School in 1937. After a year at ...

Matcha Chawan, Tea Bowl, Shino glaze, by George Gledhill; Payette, ID. H.3"(7.5cm) x Dia. 4.5"(11.5cm,) Footring is square in shape, 2.375"(6cm.) There have been several influences to George Gledhill’s ceramic work. Buddhism has been a guiding force in life for many years, and George even visits local prisons to teach the Dharma to inmates. Through pottery and Buddhism, he was exposed to Tea practitioners who complimented his work and encouraged him to produce Tea wares. Their introduction to ...

Wood-fired Tea Cup, Shino & Ash glaze, by George Gledhill; Payette, ID. H.2.75"(7cm) x Dia.3.375"(8.5cm.)

Large blue & white, sometsuke chawan with a vivid pine branch, matsu, stretching across the bowl. This chawan is by Kondo Hiroshi, son of Kondo Yuzo, Living National Treasure. Working in his father's unique style, Kondo Hiroshi is very well exhibited, collected and published in Japan and abroad.

This chawan is in excellent condition with its original signed box and measures 6.25" X 2.25".

***** The underglaze blue is much richer than there photos show and is by far much nicer in per...

A beautiful assortment of colors and textures play across the dark red surface of this exquisite Chaire tea container by Living National Treasure Fujiwara Kei enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Chaire.
Size, D 6.7 cm H 11.4 cm
Condition, Excellent
Fujiwara Kei (1899-1983) was born in Bizen City, Okayama, he did not enter the ceramic world until he was already 40 years old. In his youth he studied art and literature in Tokyo. Intent upon becoming a no...

Mint and large Japanese pottery tea bowl of Hagi Ware, made by one of the most famous and creative potters of Japan, Seigan Yamane. The blue glaze reminds me always of the colors of universe at night. Stunning!

Seigan Yamane was born in 1952, and started making Hagi ware in 1987. He started his own pottery in 1992 and since then he won a lot of prizes for his great work. The special blue on most of his ceramics is called 'Seigan Blue' and was developed in 2002. Not least for th...

Yunomi, Tea Cup, Porcelain with underglaze blue painting (uroko-mon, fish scale pattern,) by Kathy Lusher; Seattle, WA. H.3"(7.5cm) x Dia.3"(7.5cm) Volume=200ml(6.75 oz.) Kathy Lusher makes functional ceramics of an exceptional quality. The porcelain bodies and blue-green tinge to her hand-mixed glaze recipes create the ideal background to view the color of Japanese green tea. Lusher was an apprentice in Japan to well-known potter Takita Koichi, who has worked in both rural Fukushima & Tochigi P...

A mesh of copper draperies hang over the dark black of this unusually shaped Tsubo by Tenmoku specialist Kimura Moriyasu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shoju Tenmoku Henko. Shoju Tenmoku, literally Pine-Needle-Tenmoku, is a glaze technique where the effect joins in a mesh like pine needles overlapping, very difficult to pull off, but here Moriyasu has done it masterfully. The vessel is 30.5 cm (12 inches) tall, 19 x 16 cm (7-1/2 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition.

Dohei Fujinoki is one of the most popular artist in contemporary KARATSU pottery scene. Initially he aimed a western painter and then,when he met an old KARATSU pottery piece he had been fascinated. He has studied at Karatsu and also MIno. And while, he has studied in tea ceremony. His repertoires are goods for tea ceremony, sake cup, and tableware for Japanese cuisine. This piece is a brand new work created with black glase by rapid cooling as sake cup.A rabbit is dancing at the botto...

An outlandish image of bright autumn color decorates this set of sake flask and cup by Ito Motohiko enclosed in the original signed wooden boxes titled simply Tokkuri and Guinomi respectively.  Typical of this artists work, the vessels display a textured cloth surface called nunome, the raw clay decorated with bright large images of natural motifs.    
Size:Tokkuri, D 9.2 cm   H 13.2  cm 
Size:Guinomi, D 8.2 cm   H 4.2  cm
Condition, Excellent 
Ito Motohiko ...

Yunomi, Tea Cup; by Isamu Tagami of Hinata Kiln, Mashiko. Rou-nuki (wax resist) pattern of "8's" (a good luck number) over Kaki glaze. Nuka glaze interior. H.3.25"(8.25cm) x Dia.3.25"(7.75cm.) Volume = 7oz(210cc.) Tagami Isamu was born in 1947 in Mooka, a village neighboring to Mashiko. He married into the Sudo family and apprenticed under Sudo Takeo. He was originally trained as a Japanese chef and had his own restaurant before embarking on a career in pottery, giving him a unique perspective ...