Light, cool, sleek and refined describe the large celadon bowl that won 1 million yen and the Grand Prix Katsura-no-Miya Prize at the 17th Biennial Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. This juried exhibition showcases some of the finest works in this “pottery oasis” of Japan ...

It was 20 years ago today . . . that the famous Kikuchi Collection of Modern Japanese Ceramics was shown to “smashing” reviews at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The 300-piece collection sparked a great interest in modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics that has ...

Before the advent of 20th-century brand-name designers such as Kenzo, Miyake or Mori, there was Kenzan of Kyoto — back in the Edo Period that is. His instantly recognizable signature was not found on any trendy kimono or handbag of the day, however, but ...

The Izu Peninsula, just an hour out of Tokyo, has some of the finest scenery in all of Japan. Rugged coastlines, clear views of Mount Fuji, pristine forests with rivers and waterfalls, not to mention the many soothing hot-spring resorts dotting the land, shape ...

Japan, without a doubt, has the world’s largest number of art museums devoted solely to pottery — more than 500 venues, I’ve heard. That’s a lot of beauty (or not) to take in. Almost all potting centers, major or minor, as well as non-potting ...

“Born alone, will die alone; come alone, will be gone alone; study alone, walk alone”: This is said to have been the mantra of one of Japan’s greatest 20th-century artists, the boisterous, arrogant and brilliant Rosanjin Kitaoji (1883-1959). Stories of this legendary artist abound, ...

Awards. We all love them, whether they are for movies, music, or for sports personalities. The art world here in Japan is no different, and there are many awards to honor those who have excelled in their respective art forms. The world of ceramic ...

Of the 14 ceramic objects designated as national treasures in Japan, the fact that no fewer than eight are chawan (tea bowls) is a clear sign of their importance in the culture. Of these eight, five are actually Chinese tenmoku brought here in the ...

“Sensational art finds are both desired and feared: desired because they become a form of pleasure and capital; feared because they displace something or somebody. Japan has had its share of such moments.” So writes Professor Richard L. Wilson in his new book, “The ...

In the world of Japanese ceramics, certain styles have clearly defined identities that have been appreciated down the centuries. Mere mention of Bizen pottery will likely bring to mind a rustic, brown, natural ash-glazed style. Such ideas and images are often fixed. So I ...

Say the word “Momoyama” to any Japanese pottery connoisseurs, and their eyes will inevitably light up. Most ceramic enthusiasts would give up any Saturday-night vice to own just one Momoyama Shino, Bizen or Karatsu guinomi (sake cup) or chawan (tea bowl). Allow me to ...

Few Japanese ceramic artists have stamped their visions into clay as eloquently as Yoshiro Kimura. Seduced by the Aegean Sea many years ago, Kimura was possessed by the desire to put the sea’s cerulean hue into his exquisite ceramic forms. You can see the ...