Mashiko Teaware of Japan 101

[Saladin]

Some very informative posts. Thank you, John!

That's a beautiful collection, Saladin. Very nicely arranged, as well. A different style of pottery than what you would see on display at my place but it definitely has its appeal!
That's one of the things about getting into tea pottery. There's some sort of gateway drug like Hagi and Tokoname were for me and then you start to branch out and suddenly like all these other types of pottery that you had never even heard of before.
I guess it comes with getting to know and learning to appreciate the material and craftsmanship more and more.

I don't know what it is... They are simply beautiful objects.

Thanks for the kind words! What is still amazing to me is the variety of ceramic wares produced in such a small country. I guess there is truly something for everyone; from rough, crude-looking asymmetrical pieces (Hagi & Kuro-Oribe) to pots so perfectly fabricated and glazed that they look as if they could have been made by supernaturals..

I grew to like Mashiko wares probably because when I was in high school ( I took 3 years of pottery) we watched a film called the "Art Of The Potter" which shows Living Treasure Hamada Shoji making his pots. When I went away to art school one of the first books I found in the library was a book about Hamada which showed gorgeous color plates of his work. A yunomi (and several Chawan) in that book really inspired me as a potter. I liked the tall foot and how it was undercut, and I grew to like the asymmetry in his work, which wasn't as deliberate looking as in classic Mino wares. It's harder than you might think to make a pot that is on center, yet off center!

There are some other really fantastic Mashiko potters to see in books and Museums such as Gen Murata, Hamada Shinsaku and Shimaoka Tatsuzo (If you like sculpture Kamoda Shoji will blow your mind.) I like these works because you can obviously see the skill required to make the pieces yet the work still looks handmade, and there is so much variation to surfaces due to the glaze application and firing. For me, collecting tea cups has been a great way ( and the most affordable ) way to acquire and get to know a potters work.

[Saladin]

Here are a few links to some Mashiko potters, the most famous of whom was Hamada Shoji. He was a highly educated artist and decided to move to this rural town to set up his own workshop, where he would make his own interpretations of Mashiko-Yaki and Mingei ( folk art). He and his contemporaries Soetsu Yangi, Bernard Leach, and Kawai Kanjiro, wanted to preserve traditional Japanese folk-crafts as they were disappearing due to industrialization at the turn of the century.
Shimaoka Tatsuzo and Sudo Takeo were his students, and Shimaoka went on to be a Living Treasure for impressing rope on his clay and inlaying slip into the surfaces. It was a very labor intensive technique, so he had a large studio full of workers and students helping him with certain steps of the process. Of course all of these potters made lovely tea wares.

http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/hamada-shoji.html

http://www.adhikara.com/art/nuova_pagina_15.htm (click the blinking triangles)

http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/sakuma-totaro-jt.html

http://hinata-touki.jimdo.com/%E3%82%AE ... C-gallery/

[iannon]

That's one of the things about getting into tea pottery. There's some sort of gateway drug like Hagi and Tokoname were for me and then you start to branch out and suddenly like all these other types of pottery that you had never even heard of before.
I guess it comes with getting to know and learning to appreciate the material and craftsmanship more and more.

I don't know what it is... They are simply beautiful objects.

+1 they are works of art..and Usable/functional works of art as i like to justify my purchases to my wife! hey..with a painting ( not to knock that style of art) you can just look at it..but with these..you can look at it, hold it, AND use it for tea!

[Saladin]

That's one of the things about getting into tea pottery. There's some sort of gateway drug like Hagi and Tokoname were for me and then you start to branch out and suddenly like all these other types of pottery that you had never even heard of before.
I guess it comes with getting to know and learning to appreciate the material and craftsmanship more and more.

I don't know what it is... They are simply beautiful objects.

+1 they are works of art..and Usable/functional works of art as i like to justify my purchases to my wife! hey..with a painting ( not to knock that style of art) you can just look at it..but with these..you can look at it, hold it, AND use it for tea!

These are indeed works of art, and what's interesting is that in Japan pottery does not have the lowly status as an art form that it has in the west. Potters are celebrated and their works can reach a very high prices.

[AdamMY]

Great topic here, i really enjoy reading about different styles of pottery in Japan. Still not sure if a Mashiko piece is in my future, while some of the pieces look great, I am just not sure it is the right style for me. That being said that is part of what is so amazing about art two different people can look at the same thing and one says its the best thing in the world, and the other is completely not sold on it at all.

That being said I noticed most of the pieces seem to be a rather thin glaze, and then painted. Is that more typical in the style of Mashiko? And as such with the painting does that mean they tend to be fired an additional time to fire the painted glaze onto the piece?

[Saladin]

Great topic here, i really enjoy reading about different styles of pottery in Japan. Still not sure if a Mashiko piece is in my future, while some of the pieces look great, I am just not sure it is the right style for me. That being said that is part of what is so amazing about art two different people can look at the same thing and one says its the best thing in the world, and the other is completely not sold on it at all.

That being said I noticed most of the pieces seem to be a rather thin glaze, and then painted. Is that more typical in the style of Mashiko? And as such with the painting does that mean they tend to be fired an additional time to fire the painted glaze onto the piece?

Good questions Adam. Mashiko pottery is not old the way shino, or Hagi is, as kilns were established in the 1800's. I haven't seen that many examples of this older ware to be honest, as not that many examples are published in books ( and I've yet to go there).
What people think of today as Mashiko ware is the legacy of Hamada Shoji and the work made by his former students and followers. A lot of people today just copy his work. At the same time a bunch of potters moved to that town and it became a center for pottery making and not all of these artists make traditional looking Mashiko pots. one artist who comes to mind is Ken Matsuzaki who makes modern shino and oribe wares which originally hail from Mino. If you want a cup which is covered by thick marshmallow fluff look no further.
I guess some Mashiko pots have a thin glaze like those Sakuma Totaro cups I posted while others have pretty thickly applied glazes like this Shimaoka cup, but thickness is relative I suppose. It's thick but not oni-hagi thick. Many pots are decorated with brushwork or glaze drips, and the brushwork only requires a third firing if it is the red and green over-glaze enamel. The painting in iron or cobalt is usually done under a glaze or sometimes over, but it is done at the same time as the glaze dipping or pouring and doesn't require any additional firing.

http://www.puckergallery.com/artists/ma ... i_all.html

[togeika]

I apprenticed with Tatsuzo Shimaoka from 2000 to 2003 and lived and made pots in Mashiko from 1999 to 2007.

One of the remarkable aspects of Mashiko, is that there is no one style there. Shoji Hamada was a world traveler and brought techniques, forms and styles to Mashiko from around the world, especially from China, Korea and England (where he worked with Bernard Leach.)

In fact, I met many potters who moved from ancient kiln towns to Mashiko for its creative freedom. It was explained to me by one Kyoto trained couple, was if they stayed in their Teacher's town, they were expected to make specific forms with specific clays and glazes fired a specific way, or else, their work was not accepted. This creative straight jacket is not practiced in Mashiko.

Large Tokuri, Ko-Shigaraki Clay, faceted, inlay, rice staw and shell marks, side-fired in Modern woodkiln in Mashiko, Japan

http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

[Saladin]

I apprenticed with Tatsuzo Shimaoka from 2000 to 2003 and lived and made pots in Mashiko from 1999 to 2007.

One of the remarkable aspects of Mashiko, is that there is no one style there. Shoji Hamada was a world traveler and brought techniques, forms and styles to Mashiko from around the world, especially from China, Korea and England (where he worked with Bernard Leach.)

In fact, I met many potters who moved from ancient kiln towns to Mashiko for its creative freedom. It was explained to me by one Kyoto trained couple, was if they stayed in their Teacher's town, they were expected to make specific forms with specific clays and glazes fired a specific way, or else, their work was not accepted. This creative straight jacket is not practiced in Mashiko.

Large Tokuri, Ko-Shigaraki Clay, faceted, inlay, rice staw and shell marks, side-fired in Modern woodkiln in Mashiko, Japan

http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

Thanks for this great post! I think some people forget that Hamada was heavily influenced by all sorts of historical works from all over the world. I just got the book "Mashiko Poetry" which has some nice poems about some of these famous potters. One of my favorite artists is Kamoda Shoji, who I think was a creative genius of form and surface decoration. Of course he made tea wares but his flower vases and sculptures are to me are his most impressive works. His work looks completely unique and nothing like Mashiko traditional wares.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/kamoda-shoji-oct-jt.html
I really wish I could get to Mashiko to visit the museums and to see all of the pots.
I have a question for you Togeika if you don't mind. Shimaoka had lots of students over the years but I haven't seen very much work out there (from Japan) by other people using his impressed rope designs. Is this out of respect? Or are there a bunch of people doing this in Japan that we don't see here in the states? Your bottle is very lovely by the way!

[Saladin]

Some friends of mine are selling some nice Mashiko cups here http://www.mingei-wasabidou.com/catalog/query.php
I also sell my pots on this site (when I make them) and the shop keeper is a fine fellow imho. I have one of these yunomi and I like it quite a bit.

[AdamMY]

Some friends of mine are selling some nice Mashiko cups here http://www.mingei-wasabidou.com/catalog/query.php
I also sell my pots on this site (when I make them) and the shop keeper is a fine fellow imho. I have one of these yunomi and I like it quite a bit.

I am not sure to thank you for that link or curse you for that link. I think my TAD thanks you immensely, while my wallet and bank accounts curse you. After going back to that site several times a day since you posted that link, I just ordered 2 cups. on Mashiko, which I will post here when it arrives, and one Tsuboya, both of which were yunomi's.

[Saladin]

Hey good for you Adam! Tatsuo ( the owner) Is very knowledgeable about both tea and ceramics. In a round about sort of way I helped him get in touch with these potters who were looking for a new market for their wares. I hope you like them. I have a cup buy the 5th generation potter which I really like.
If I get some decent pots out of my next kiln I hope to send some more his way.

[Saladin]

P.S. if you really want to blow some cash check out these pots! All made by big big names. http://www.yanaseart.com/cyawan1.htm

[AdamMY]

I am onmy nook because my computer is out of order for the time being (HD is toast.) But my Yunomi arrived today and they are amzing. Will post photos later. I must say the mashiko piece is a stunner.

[AdamMY]

Tagami Munetoshi:

5th Generation Mashiko Potter


Tagami Munetoshi Yunomi by Adam Yusko, on Flickr

Nakamura Masahiro

A Tsuboya Potter, from Okinawa.


Nakamura Masahiro Yunomi (1) by Adam Yusko, on Flickr

Side by side:


Mashiko and Tsuboya Yunomi's side by side by Adam Yusko, on Flickr



Size perspective by Adam Yusko, on Flickr

[Saladin]

Hey those look great Adam! You got the companion to my cup I really like that cup from Okinawa! I love the high foot. Are you familiar with LNT Kinjo Jiro? If not, his work deserves a serious look ( if you can find it).