KOGEI STANDARD Japanese Crafts Online Media

The successive heads of the Kobeigama Kiln have each produced remarkable works, continuing the kiln’s legacy. As the eighth generation head of the kiln, how do you approach this tradition? Additionally, could you share how this history influences the ceramics you create today?The first generation head of the kiln, Kobei Kato, established a nobori-gama or climbing kiln on the slopes of this mountai...

Born into the Mikawachi ware lineage of the Hirado Kohsyo Danemon Kiln, Taiyo Nakazato naturally aspired to pursue the path of ceramics, and from a young age was expected to become the next head of the kiln. “When a successor is born, all the relatives celebrate and rejoice. Perhaps because of that environment, I knew from a young age that I wanted to work in this field.”During his stu...

Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture is globally renowned as the birthplace of Wajima lacquerware, a traditional Japanese craft. Following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, local artisans lost their workshops and tools, making it difficult for them to continue their craft. In response, Wedgwood, a British Royal Warrant brand with 265 years of history rooted in craftsmanship, artistry an...

Fukui, recognized as one of the leading manufacturing hubs in Japan, is home to traditional crafts such as Echizen lacquerware, Echizen washi paper, Echizen forged blades, Echizen cabinetry, and Echizen ware. In addition, it is also known for its thriving local industries, including eyeglasses and textile production. The industrial tourism event “RENEW,” which aims to promote sustainable community...

The food and art festival “TOMORROW FIELD 2024 Fall,” organized by the non-profit organization TOMORROW, will be held from October 25 to November 17, 2024, in the Taiza district of Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture. Previously held as the “ECHO” food and art festival in 2022 and 2023, this event will now be held twice a year, in both fall and spring, under the new name “TOMORROW FIELD.”“TOMORROW FIE...

It can be warm and rustic. It can be cool and delicate. Even though a host has a singular purpose in preparing a bowl of tea for a guest to enjoy, the expressions of tea bowls are diverse. This is precisely why a host can imbue a tea bowl with a sense of the season or personal sentiment, and the guest, sensing this, can connect on a deeper level.In this chapter, we will explore the elements that s...