Fascinated by the tasteful beauty of blown glass, glass artist Yuko Miura uses traditional techniques to create dishes for daily use. The vessels, designed with ease of use in mind, feel stable in one’s hands and stand dignifiedly on the dining table. Regardless of the genre of cuisine, such as Japanese or Western, or the occasion, she creates glassware that blends in with daily life based on the concept of “daily usable vessels.

Moved to the nature-rich northern part of Okayama Prefecture

Yuko Miura’s studio, Bamboo Glass, is located in a quiet mountainous area in Kagamino-cho, Tomada-gun, Okayama Prefecture. It is about an hour and a half drive from Okayama City and about 15 minutes to the border of Tottori Prefecture. Nearby are Okutsu Onsen, a hot spring representative of the Mimasaka region of Okayama Prefecture, and the scenic Okutsu Creek, an area blessed with abundant nature throughout the four seasons. Mr. Miura started his workshop here in 2014.

Producing tableware for daily use

Mr. Miura creates colorless clear and pale gray cups, wine glasses, plates, and bowls. Blown glass is a technique with a history of over 2,000 years. I am fascinated by the forms of vessels used by people in the past, so I study the history of blown glass carefully and try to create my own unique designs while considering how easy it is for people to use today.

Discovered blown glass while a university student

Mr. Miura was born in Osaka Prefecture. While a student at Kyoto University of Art and Design, he was exposed to a variety of crafts, including ceramics and woodworking, and was most attracted to glassworking. Wanting to pursue glassblowing even further, he took classes at “Glass Studio Aaty” in Kyoto City and gained experience in the art of glassblowing. He chose blown glass from among the many glass forming techniques because he is not good at sitting still, he says with a laugh.

That is probably why glassblowing, which requires physical exertion, suits him so well. When he actually tried it, he found the movement of the molten glass interesting, and he began to think, “I want to learn more about blown glass,” and “I want to handle glass in a soft state.

Blown glass is formed by winding high-temperature molten glass around a steel tube called a “blowpipe” and blowing air into it to make it expand like a balloon. It is possible to make glass thinner than that formed by fitting it into a mold, and the technique is said to have remained largely unchanged since ancient Roman times.

After graduating from university, she continued her studies at the Toyama Institute of Glass Art, where she learned basic glass theory, techniques, and the necessary sketches, as well as the know-how to become an independent glass artist. She moved to this area when her husband, Kazu, who was also a staff member, took a job at the “Fairy Forest Glass Art Museum” in Kagamino-cho, Tomata-gun, Okayama Prefecture.

Repeating the same thing over and over again does not produce the same thing.

She now has a studio in the corner of her house where she works alone. In his studio, there are two furnaces that he made himself according to the size of the vessels he makes. The furnaces for his work are heated to about 1,000 degrees Celsius. The furnace for melting and storing glass has a working temperature of approximately 1,180°C. This furnace is used to remove bubbles from the glass. This furnace is operated 24 hours a day to remove air bubbles from the glass so that it is ready to work the next morning. While surrounded by the heat generated by the two furnaces, he continues to make 20 to 30 cups from morning to night. He continues, “I never get tired of doing the same thing over and over again, day after day. That’s what’s so strange about it. I think I am making the same thing, but each finished product is somehow different. Maybe that’s why.”

He learned from looking at old glass, and in his own creations, he has arrived at his current style by devising shapes that are easy to wash and thicknesses that do not break easily. In addition, he mixes a small amount of iron and copper with glass to create a grayish color in order to bring out the atmosphere of old glass. The colors of these pieces are not too overpowering and blend in well with the tabletop.

One of his favorite glasses is a glass with legs, which was used in a popular French diner in the 20th century. It is what is called a “bistro glass,” a sturdy glass that can be handled roughly to some extent. He says, “I want to make something that is easy to pick up and has a simple, everyday quality, like this glass.

When he first started creating, he exhibited his work at craft fairs throughout Japan in order to make his creations known. He learned about the reaction to the vessels he made by talking with customers at “Craft Fair Matsumoto” in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, “Arts & Crafts Shizuoka Tezokuri Ichiba” in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and “Field of Crafts Kurashiki” in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. He learned that there were surprisingly few glassware that could be used for both Western and Japanese cuisine without interfering when placed alongside ceramics, and his theme of “glass that fits in with the dining table” became firmly established. Through word of mouth, the number of clients gradually increased.

An environment that connects work and daily life

Miura spends his evenings looking at old books on glassware that he collects at antiquarian book fairs and other places, and uses them as motivation for his work. For example, when I look at a photograph of Venetian glass from the 16th century, I am impressed by the effort of the craftsmen who worked hard to make it,” he says. I enjoy finding traces of their work, such as tool marks, and thinking about how they were made in my own way.

He says that his work and daily life are well connected in his current environment, where he can work freely and without restraint at the foot of the mountain. For example, sweeping up fallen leaves around the house in the morning is an important way to refresh himself before heading off to work. It allows him to enter the workshop with a refreshed feeling of nature. I want to continue living the way I do now,” he says. I want to continue my life in the future. Like the women who have made a living by weaving, I imagine that I am making things day in and day out in the mountains. Work is a part of my life,” she laughs.

Recently, she has decided to turn off the furnace during the warmer months of mid-July through August, so that she can spend her free time, which she has not had before, looking at glassware at museums and collecting glass artifacts. He believes that there must be more to glass than just looking at materials.

Since moving here, he has devoted himself to raising his children, and there was a time when he worked part-time. Even so, somewhere in the back of his mind, he always thought, “I will make blown glass again. Ms. Miura’s strength comes from the fact that she has never doubted her own desire to create. Finding inspiration in her daily life and being able to create is what gives her the greatest joy.

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In 1984, Mr. Zensaku Yoshida, who had been working for a company in Tokyo, started a dairy farm in the Kibi Plateau in Okayama Prefecture to make cheese. He raised healthy cows, and the cheeses he made from their milk, such as Camembert, Ricotta, and Caciocavallo, were highly praised by chefs at famous restaurants and spread throughout Japan.

Starting out as a “cow farmer” making cheese

Yoshida Farm is located in the Kibi Plateau in central Okayama Prefecture, near Okayama Airport and about an hour’s drive from Okayama City. The farm is located on a rugged terrain at an elevation of about 370 meters above sea level, where about 60 Brown Swiss cows graze and a cheese factory is set up on the premises. It is a pioneer in Japan of “Fermier cheese,” which is made exclusively from the milk of its own cows.

Mr. Zensaku Yoshida, who started Yoshida Farm in 1984, was born in Okayama City in 1955. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Hokkaido University and working for a company in Tokyo for about five years, he decided to pursue his passion for manufacturing and started making cheese. Knowing that cheesemaking meant raising cows, Mr. Yoshida spent the first six months of his life training in dairy farming, and started making cheese three years after opening a dairy farm at his current location.

Making cheese from the milk of Brown Swiss cows

Mr. Yoshida says, “My parents were complete amateurs when it came to cow husbandry, but after five years of working together 365 days a year without a break, they felt they had stabilized the business. When you think about it, it is amazing that they were able to grasp the know-how of dairy farming and start making cheese in just five years,” says Zensaku Yoshida. Mr. Harano Yoshida, the son of Mr. Zensaku Yoshida, says, “I am very proud of him. He is the current leader of Yoshida Farm.

European farmers raise livestock suited to the climate of each region, and the cheese made from their milk is a specialty of each region. Gouda cheese, for example, is made from the milk of large, stout Holstein cows, which are perfectly suited to the plains of the Netherlands, and has become a representative product of the town of Gouda. Roquefort, one of the world’s three great blue cheeses, is made from the milk of sheep raised in the cool mountains of the village of Roquefort-sur-Surzon in the limestone region of southern France and aged in huge caves in the village. Also, in the mountains of northern Italy, goats that can climb up and down cliffs are raised, and “Caprino” made from their milk is famous.

Mr. Yoshida chose Brown Swiss beef, which is native to Switzerland, for its suitability for the Kibi Plateau. These cows are suited to go up and down mountainous terrain, and their milk has a good yield, which means that casein and other proteins, which are necessary solids for cheese making, remain in the milk after the production process. Currently, about 30 cows are milked daily at Yoshida Farm, and 550 to 600 liters are milked per day by machine. Compared to Holstein cows, the milk production is considerably lower, but the number of cows is kept to a level that allows the family to take care of the cows without strain.

Milk quality affects cheese 90%.

About 90% of cheese production is determined by the quality of milk, and humans can only compensate for about 10%. We may be able to bring it to an average, but if the raw milk is not good, we can never bring it to a satisfactory level,” says Harano.

Health management is carried out by paying the utmost attention to what the cows eat, such as hay, and to the rearing environment. While grazing, the cows eat grass outside, but they are also given plenty of “timothy,” a top-quality hay similar to that given to racehorses. This is crispy, dry hay with a good aroma, high protein and fiber content, and easy to break down in the body, so it does not put stress on the cows’ stomachs. Each cow receives at least 100 liters of water per day. Cows that walk around outside in this environment have their legs and backs strengthened, so they are able to give birth naturally without human assistance. Mr. Harano believes that the most important thing in cheese making is to keep the cows healthy, so he calls himself a “cowherd.

He grew up watching his parents, who never took a day off from taking care of the cows. Even so, he decided to take over Yoshida Farm because, “My parents seemed to be happy every day. They were blessed with good customers and were always busy, and it never seemed to be hard for them at all. It wasn’t until I actually started working with them that I realized how hard it is to be a cow farmer.

Learning cheese making from Mr. Pinna at the Italian Embassy

When his father, Zensaku Yoshida, started making cheese, there was only one small farm in Hokkaido and one in Nagano that combined dairy farming and cheese production, like Yoshida Farm. At a time when cheese was generally a processed cheese made by major dairy companies, Zensaku began making three types of cheese: Camembert, raclette, and fresh.

One day, Yoshida Farm’s Camembert cheese was discovered by Salvatore Pinna, a counselor at the Italian Embassy. He was impressed by the cheese he purchased at a bakery in Tokyo and said, “There is a Japanese man who makes cheese like this. I want him to make more cheese. In the past, Mr. Pinna worked for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, where he was involved in foreign aid, including agricultural development cooperation. He is so passionate about cheese that he is looking for someone who can make delicious cheese wherever he goes in the world. He immediately contacted Yoshida Farm.

In 1990, Mr. Pina visited Yoshida Ranch and spent several days with Zensaku, teaching him how to make caciocavallo, mozzarella, and ricotta cheese. Mr. Zensaku worked hard to follow his instructions, and when he sent the finished cheeses to the Embassy, Mr. Pina responded, “You passed. Later, Mr. Tsutomu Ochiai, the first head chef of the Italian restaurant “Granata” in Akasaka, Tokyo, and now the owner chef of “La Bettra da Ochiai,” fell in love with Yoshida Farm’s mozzarella cheese and started selling it to other restaurants, and it spread to other restaurants as well. It was significant that the chefs at the restaurants supported the cheese in the early stages of its production. Later, people who learned about Yoshida Farm’s cheese at restaurants began ordering it directly from us.

Expressing the taste that can only be achieved in this region

Currently, Yoshida Farm produces about 10 types of cheese, including Caciocavallo, Raclette, Parmigiano type “Kodaka,” Comte type “Majiyakuri,” Camembert, Mozzarella, and Italian Ricotta. Cheese is divided into natural cheese and processed cheese. Processed cheese, which is made by heating natural cheese and adding various ingredients, is made by first determining the flavor, as the lactic acid bacteria die and the cheese does not ripen during storage. Yoshida Farm’s cheeses are all natural cheese, and the taste changes over time as the raw milk is solidified, fermented, and aged by the action of microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria. I think the change in taste is fun for the people who eat it,” says Harano.

If you have livestock, a pot, fire, and salt, you can make cheese. The lactic acid bacteria are a major factor in determining the taste of cheese. Yoshida Farm has been using lactobacilli for a long time, creating and passing them down from generation to generation. Since lactobacilli exist in nature, if milk is left outside at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, the bacteria will come and multiply and make yogurt-like products. In order for the lactobacilli to work well, the speed at which the whey is released, the temperature, and the amount of water are adjusted during the cheese making process. This also leads to a crunchy texture.

Milk quality changes daily, and the fermentation and ripening of cheese depends on the temperature, humidity, and environment in which it is stored. It is interesting to make new discoveries in areas over which I have no control and over which I cannot control even if I wanted to,” says Harano.

Yoshida Farm’s cheese aging room is a semi-subterranean structure carved out of a slope. Two types of cheese are aged here: a Parmigiano type and a hard type called “Majakuri. The young cheeses are white, and a hard rind forms on the surface as the cheeses are repeatedly turned over daily by wringing out a towel dipped in salt water to wipe off the mold that naturally grows on the surface. This process is repeated daily, and a hard rind is formed on the surface. In the process of increasing the amino acid tyrosine, umami ingredients such as glutamic acid also increase. The product is left in the aging room for two to three years before shipping.

Building on Challenges While Having Fun

In the year that marked the 40th anniversary of Yoshida Farm’s establishment, a building was completed that serves as a storage room to preserve cheese while controlling its maturation, as well as a sales office and multipurpose space. The building was designed by Yoshifumi Nakamura, an architect who respects the beauty of natural materials and aging, and the impressive exterior walls are made from the feces of Yoshida Farm’s Brown Swiss cows. The building is constructed like a straw bale house, with blocks of straw piled on top of each other and hardened with soil and other materials. The name “FUN” is a play on the words “fun” and “feces,” which are synonymous with the enjoyment of a multi-purpose space.

The farm also faces the inevitable problem of cows that cannot be milked, which is an unavoidable part of running a dairy farm. Most of the male calves are entrusted to “Kajioka Farm” in Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. This ranch handles everything from the production of cattle feed to breeding, fattening, and management of restaurants that serve the cattle they raise as meals. The cows that can no longer give birth to calves are sold to Sakaeya, a butcher store in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture. Sakaeya is connected with producers at 10 ranches across Japan, and is able to process the cattle in the most appropriate way based on its knowledge of how the cattle were raised and with what kind of feed. These are two companies that Mr. Yoshida places great trust in. The cow hides are delivered from “Sakaeya” to “cornelian taurus by daisuke iwanaga,” a brand of made-to-order leather bags based in Kobe. I can raise them without any worries because I can entrust the end of their lives to someone I can trust,” says Yoshida Harano.

We can trust the end of our lives to people we can trust, so we can raise them with no worries,” says Yoshida. We don’t plan to make and sell many more. What I am focusing on is whether or not my family can continue to enjoy it. Dairy farming and cheese making are the same thing that we do every day, so whether or not we can continue to do it properly will make the difference between a better future and a worse one. I think that the challenges we find as we continue, even if they are small, will add up, and then we will finally be able to see the path we need to go down.

After passing on the cheese-making business to his son, the father, Zensaku Yoshida, is now growing wheat in the fields and taking up the challenge of baking bread as a hobby. Yoshida Farm’s style is for the family to enjoy each day’s accumulation, and to pursue their ideals through repeated discoveries.

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Okayama Prefecture is famous for its fresh grapes such as “Muscat of Alexandria” and “Pione”. Niimi City, located in the northwestern part of the prefecture, has long been an active grape-growing area. Domaine tetta” was one of the first to start growing grapes not for fresh eating, but for wine, and is engaged in winemaking. We interviewed Mr. Ryuta Takahashi, the president of the company.

From a different industry to the wine industry

Ryuta Takahashi was born and raised in Niimi City, where he ran his family’s construction business.

The turning point for him came in 2005, when he came across a former vineyard that had been abandoned in the Tetta district of Niimi City. The previous owner of the land, with his diligent staff, had been working hard to cultivate the grapes and had produced very tasty grapes. It was a waste of a good vineyard. It is a waste of a vineyard that produces good grapes.

His new challenge began with his concern that the vineyards he had grown accustomed to as a beautiful local landscape had fallen into disrepair, and his wish to once again utilize this land that grows delicious grapes as a local resource. In researching the land, he learned that it had limestone soil suitable for winemaking, similar to that of Champagne and Chablis, the famous wine regions in France. In 2009, he established “tetta Co., Ltd.” with the aim of revitalizing abandoned land, believing that if he could cultivate grapes for wine, he could make the most of this land, which is a local resource. In 2010, with the help of friends who share his passion, he began cultivating grapes for wine.

He had no experience in viticulture, let alone farming. He had no knowledge of wine. I was a complete novice. It was reckless, now that I think about it,” he recalls with a laugh.

For the first few years after the establishment of the company, he only cultivated grapes and outsourced the winemaking to a winery in Yamanashi Prefecture. The grapes were harvested in the evening and loaded onto trucks, which Takahashi himself drove all night to bring to the winery.

The resulting wine was named “tetta,” which is the name of the region, with the intention of taking care of the land.

A winery that people want to visit

In 2016, the winery started its own winemaking. The winery has been a dream of Takahashi’s since its establishment: to become a winery that handles everything from grape cultivation to vinification and bottling in-house.

In establishing the winery, Mr. Takahashi had the following in mind: “I want people to see the environment in which the wines are produced and the winemakers. To do so, the winery must be a building that people will want to visit.

The result is “domaine tetta,” a stylish concrete winery that suddenly appears in the middle of a mountain of vineyards.

A place where people can feel that “wine is born here.

From the café, where wine tasting and sales are conducted, visitors can see the winery through the glass, and out on the terrace, they can enjoy a panoramic view of the vineyards. The winery is a place where you can really feel that wine is born here.

Takahashi recalls the day the winery opened. An old man who lived in a village at the foot of the mountain walked up the hill to buy wine for us. I was really happy that local people could drink locally produced wine. We have finally come this far,” he said.

Today, many young people from Japan and abroad visit this winery, not only wine lovers, but also young people who want to study wine.

The grapes are used to make wine.

Okayama Prefecture is known as the “Land of Sunshine, Okayama” because of its high percentage of sunny days. In addition to ample sunshine hours, Niimi City is located at an elevation of 400 meters above sea level and has a large temperature difference, which makes it suitable for grape cultivation, such as sweetness and coloring.

In addition, “domaine tetta” is making efforts to reduce diseases and pesticides as much as possible by protecting the grapes from rain through a rain-cut cultivation method in which plastic covers are placed over the grape trellises so that the grapes are not directly exposed to rain. In this way, the ripeness of the grapes is slowly increased.

In winemaking, wild yeasts are used and no supplemental sugar or acid is added. Antioxidants are added only when necessary. The concept of winemaking is to “finish the wine by the power of the grapes” without adding artificial substances.

Aiming for Tetta’s Unique Taste

The next step is how to express the land of “tetta” (Tetta) in wine. The next step is how to express the land of “tetta” (tetta) in wine.

Currently, 22 varieties of grapes are grown, including those for fresh eating and experimental cultivation. The representative varieties are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In recent years, as the vines have aged, we have come to feel that the minerality of the land has emerged. One of the more unusual wines is made from Aki Queen, a red grape used for fresh eating. With its tropical flavor, the wine is said to be highly favored by people from overseas.

From 2021, in cooperation with the National Research Institute of Alcoholic Beverages, an independent administrative agency that conducts research and surveys on alcoholic beverages, they will conduct research on tetta in the cultivation and brewing process to deepen their knowledge of the effects of yeast on wine.

Nine seasons have passed since the estate was established. After nine seasons on the estate, he has finally gotten the feeling that he can compete with these varieties, and is now in the process of narrowing down his selection of varieties.

To prevent the vineyards from being returned to abandoned land again

Domaine tetta” was started with the desire to revitalize abandoned vineyards.

It has been about 15 years since its establishment. From his own experience, Mr. Takahashi realizes that wine is not just a drink, but also a tool to connect various relationships. He also realizes that wine has the potential to connect to the world. In fact, “tetta” wines are now distributed in North America and Europe. In addition, two wineries have been established in Niimi City, following in the footsteps of “domaine tetta.

When asked about their future prospects, the answer was quite simple: “Our main goal is to continue growing grapes and making wine in this area. He believes that the most important thing is to create local employment and pass this business on to the next generation. He has never wavered from the fact that the core of this project is the “restoration of abandoned farmland. In addition, they will draw out the power of the grapes and create wines that showcase the terroir. The never-ending challenge of “domaine tetta” continues.

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Experience Okayama while in the hotel

Standing on top of a hill in Higashiyama Okayama City, “Hotel Okura Okayama” is one of the most elegant hotels in Okayama City. Although the hotel is in the center of the city, it is surrounded by rich greenery, and the great location allows guests to view the castle city from above.
Views of the four seasons are pleasing, and the night view is also wonderful. One can enjoy a rich feeling by looking at the shining city for a while.
There are a wide range of accommodation plans to choose from, such as those with a set of local ”sake” and Bizen-yaki ”sake” cups, Valentine’s and “White Day” (Japanese day for returning gifts given on Valentine’s Day), hot-pot menu, and introduction to Zen meditation included in the accommodation fee. All plans are carefully thought out so that guests can fully enjoy Okayama within the hotel.

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Takashi Kita of “KITAWORKS” originates from a welding shop started by his father. The furniture he creates by combining iron, stainless steel, copper, brass, and other metals with wood, “minimalism is at the foundation of my work, and this is reflected in my work,” he says. How did he come up with the designs and delicate processing techniques that attract numerous space designers?

Attention-grabbing products

KITAWORKS designs and manufactures store fixtures, residential furniture, and interior furnishings, such as chairs with seats and backs formed from a single perforated stainless steel plate, tables with wood tops on extremely thin steel frames, and cabinets with brass frames, that are not only designed but also crafted down to the smallest detail. The furniture is designed and manufactured by “KITAWORKS”, and is crafted to the highest level of detail. These include the directly managed “ARTS & SCIENCE” store in Kyoto, for which Sonia Park serves as creative director; “LOG,” a hotel, café, bar, dining room, and store based on the concept of “living like you live,” and “VERVE” at Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo. VERVE COFFEE ROASTERS” at Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo, etc., and is also collaborating with the interior design company AXCIS on lighting fixtures and other products.

Originally an ironworks founded by his father

Tsuyama City, where KITAWORKS is located, is the third largest city in Okayama, located in northeastern Okayama Prefecture. The area has long been a transportation hub, and since the construction of Tsuyama Castle in the Warring States Period (1467-1568), it has served as the center of the surrounding area, and the atmosphere of a castle town remains strong today.

The origin of KITAWORKS is an ironworks founded by Takashi Kita’s father in 1978. When he was 30 years old, he decided to teach himself woodworking in order to build furniture and fittings for his new home. After making several pieces by combining frames made at an ironworks and wood, he was asked to make them by friends who had seen them. At a time when the number of orders for machinery and equipment was decreasing, he decided to take on this project in earnest, hoping that it would become his business.

Finding a balance between functionality and appearance

When the company switched from manufacturing machinery and equipment to furniture and interior design, the key point was to reconcile the functionality and appearance of the product. For example, a chair to be delivered to a factory must be sturdy and free from defects. However, chairs used in daily life should be functional and stylish at the same time. The search for such a compromise was the beginning of the “KITAWORKS” style.

Minimalism at the core

When Mr. KITA thinks about designing new furniture, he often starts with the form. The “KITAWORKS” style appears in the way the strength of the structure that realizes the form is maintained. Take the example of a cabinet with a glass panel inlaid in an iron frame, for example, a “support” is made in the thin frame to fit the glass. A groove is made in the steel, and the four sides of the glass are wrapped in a rubber band to hold it in place. However, Mr. Kida easily overcame this difficulty and hid the fixing rubber so that it could not be seen from the outside to make the overall appearance more neat and tidy. This is achieved by digging a deeper groove and deeply fitting the glass.

This process, he says, is “like eliminating unnecessary lines and thickness. When he first started making the cabinet, his glass supplier gave him advice on how far he could go with the processing, and he was able to achieve this detailing. I want to make the form I have in mind a reality. So I make it once, and if something is missing, I correct it and reinforce it. Finding little decorations and beautiful angles for lines is part of the process. “I have an intuitive feeling that if I push the envelope, it will become minimalist,” he says. Minimalism is at the root of who I am, and I think it is reflected in what I make,” he says.

What we can do in this factory is originality.

KITAWORKS” was launched in 2009 and gained recognition through its participation in the ‘Field of Crafts Kurashiki’ event held every May in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, where craftspeople from all over Japan gather. We get a lot of specific orders like, “Can you make something like this? Once an order was placed, the person introduced the product to his/her acquaintances, and the word of mouth spread, and orders began coming in from Hiroshima and Tokyo.

Currently, iron is the most commonly used material, and stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and other materials are often combined with oak. His furniture is also characterized by its painted iron finish, and is used in the bar at LOG in Onomichi City, which was created by Studio Mumbai, an internationally acclaimed exemplar of “slow design,” a concept that emphasizes the importance of taking the time and effort to produce good products in small quantities as opposed to mass production. The table was the first to be coated with lacquer. The tabletop is made of wood and the legs are made of iron, but when the lacquer is applied over the entire surface, the original materials and differences become indistinguishable, giving the table an unidentified, austere flavor in a space created from an apartment in the early 1960s.

As I began to make furniture, I began to look at furniture and architecture from around the world, and I actually used furniture that is considered a masterpiece, such as Hans Wegner’s Y chair in Denmark. The number of vintage furniture I liked also increased. Even so, the source of his designs is still within himself, as he continues to create things that he thinks are interesting. I live in the northern part of Okayama Prefecture near the mountains, and I think that if you look into the nature that I feel there, it becomes minimalist, and I think that is reflected in the furniture as well. What we can do at this factory is limited. But I think that is what makes it unique,” he says.

The production of the “LOG” table has spread the name “KITAWORKS” around the world. The company receives orders not only from Japan but also from overseas, and currently the ratio of orders to production is half and half. The company’s strength lies in the fact that ideas that come to mind can be immediately tried and tested at the factory. Sometimes they playfully create lighting fixtures, candle holders, toilet paper holders, and other items, seeking a balance between functionality, decoration, and a sense of object.

KITAWORKS’ craftsmanship is centered on minimalism, and its focus on form, “making things that look cool,” coexists with the pursuit of functionality that stems from its roots in its father’s ironworks. KITAWORKS has established a one-of-a-kind style through a process that fosters a sensitivity to combining materials by taking advantage of their characteristics and a processing technique that calculates even the smallest shades of detail.

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Hiroe Kitagawa is one of the few makers of handspun cotton products who performs all processes by herself, from yarn spinning and dyeing to kasuri weaving, patterned weaving, and weaving on a loom. The elaborately patterned obis and kimonos that Mr. Kitagawa creates are in keeping with Japanese tradition, but they are also imbued with ideas that go beyond the traditional.

Hand-spun cotton yarns are spun and woven by hand

Handspun cotton is a fabric made by spinning yarn from cotton using a spinning wheel, dyeing the yarn with plants and other materials, and weaving the fabric on a handloom. Hiroe Kitagawa, who produces handspun cotton textiles at her home and studio in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, has been weaving women’s obis and kimonos with handspun cotton textiles for several decades. Her textiles have many fans, and when she distributes them to wholesalers, they are sold out in no time. Her creations are so attractive that they are in high demand.

Encounter with Izumo Ori

Long before he started his handspun cotton business, Mr. Kitagawa had a passion for “making things.　He was familiar with Japanese-style paintings, watercolors, and copperplate engravings as hobbies, and one day, at the suggestion of an acquaintance, he exhibited his own work in an exhibition. However, as soon as her work was exposed to the eyes of others, she felt embarrassed, as if she were hanging naked on the wall.

He recalls, “I was looking for something to express myself, but as soon as I felt ‘me’ showing, I hated it.

　One day, she stopped by a bookstore and casually picked up a trade magazine on dyeing and weaving, and learned that Yumie Aoto, an Izumo weaver, was looking for trainees at her studio. Although she did not know much about Izumo weaving, she was inspired and immediately contacted Yumie, who accepted her offer at the age of 42.

Creation in which the ego does not appear

Izumo weaving is based on cotton kasuri, which was used as stray clothes. In Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture, where Mr. Aoto’s workshop is located, farm women have spun yarn from cotton and dyed it with natural indigo to weave it while working on the farm since the Edo period. It was Ms. Aoto who brought modern patterns to this traditional kasuri and established it as “Izumo weaving. Mr. Kitagawa started from yarn spinning under Mr. Aoto and learned traditional pattern weaving for two years.

　While seeking “something expressive,” Kitagawa disliked the idea that her ego would come out in what she created, but she was never bothered by this feeling while weaving. When I look at the finished product, I think it is something that is uniquely me, but it doesn’t show my ‘self’ in a concrete way,” she said. This is probably because I create within the rules of weaving. I think it suits my nature.

Referring to American textiles of the 17th and 18th centuries

After learning Izumo weaving and returning to Kurashiki, he began to receive requests from wholesalers to produce obis through Mr. Aoto’s introduction. At first, he wove traditional patterns, but sometimes he felt they were not enough. At that time, he found a book that compiled textile designs that were popular in the United States during the pioneer period of the 17th and 18th centuries. The book introduced textiles used as bedspreads, wall hangings to keep out the cold, and rugs for the floor, and I was attracted by the simple and free use of patterns and colors. As I read the patterns alone and wove what inspired me, I found it interesting and irresistible. This feeling continues to this day, and in Kitagawa’s creations, patterns from faraway lands are fused with Japanese traditions.

Spinning yarn according to what you want to weave

Creation begins with the spinning of yarn from cotton. A large number of yarns are spun and dyed as weft yarns, which are selected for use at the weaving stage. Cotton is used in different forms, including Japanese jiwata, Indian cotton, American cotton, Mexican cotton, and other types of cotton. The properties of cotton vary greatly depending on the region where it is produced, with Egyptian cotton being the most suitable for kimono because of its fine fibers and ability to spin long yarns. The cotton is spun and woven while getting accustomed to the characteristics of each.

Become one with the spinning wheel

Mr. Kitagawa says that the used yarn wheel he uses now is his “alter ego. In fact, he has a trusted mechanic for his looms close at hand. He is Mr. Masakazu Higuchi of “Chikusendo,” a company that makes handlooms and their accessory parts in Kurashiki City. Mr. Higuchi is familiar with the structure of these machines and quickly discerns the relationship between the weaver and the machine. Kitagawa was troubled by this and consulted Mr. Higuchi. He asked Mr. Higuchi for advice and was told to “bring a bicycle wheel,” and Mr. Higuchi attached a bicycle wheel to the difficult-to-use spinning wheel, adjusting it beautifully.

When I use this wheel, the fibers from the cotton are spinning easily, as if they are saying, ‘I want to intertwine with other fibers, I want to intertwine with other fibers,’” he said. I got so absorbed in spinning that I spun for days and nights until midnight, and I even calculated how much I had already spun to reach the moon,” Kitagawa says, laughing.

In Kurashiki, where Kitagawa and Higuchi grew up, there is the Kurashiki Honzome Hand Weaving Institute, which was established as a craft center attached to the Kurashiki Mingeikan. Higuchi-san was exposed to the world of hand weaving as a child. When Mr. Kitagawa was in high school, he heard a lecture by Kichinosuke Tonomura, the first director of the Kurashiki Mingeikan, and pondered the relationship between “things” and “decoration. The two share the same attitude of being willing to go to great lengths.

For example, an old machine that has become familiar to the weaver often produces better cloth than a new machine. In short, they say, “We just have to adapt to what is in front of us. Both weavers have mastered the art of not pursuing efficiency, but rather learning the materials and machines they use, and becoming familiar with them as they go along.

90% of the production is done until we get to the plane

When the yarn has been dyed to the desired color, it is finally ready for the machine. This is the most enjoyable time, says Mr. Kitagawa. Ninety percent of the production process takes place up to this point. Moreover, hand weaving progresses only 1 to 2 cm (3 to 5 cm) per hour. Even so, once you start weaving, the woven fabric spreads out in front of your eyes. That joy is irreplaceable.

I see myself in what I make

The obis and women’s fabrics that Ms. Kitagawa creates are in demand by people of all ages. What she keeps in mind when creating is “to live one’s life with purity and sincerity. This is not only in the area of work, but also in his daily life. The things I make reflect the creator,” he says. And since the things I make are for people to wear, I want to give them to them in a pure way. I believe that good things cannot be created unless the maker lives a proper life.

If you weave according to the spun yarn, you can weave well. If you take the time and effort to weave, you will get a good taste. The more you wear the finished garment, the more it will fit your body. Although the use of power-driven spinning has made it possible to mass-produce fabrics in a short period of time, there are still many people who seek out Kitagawa’s work, which has been described as unique in its natural texture and design, because he hand-dyes, spins, and weaves all the fabrics himself. In order to meet such needs, and more importantly, because Kitagawa himself knows that only hand weaving can produce such quality, he will continue to express “Hiroe Kitagawa’s sensibility” in his hand-woven cotton fabrics.

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Takahashi City is located in the midwestern part of Okayama Prefecture. Bitchu Matsuyama Castle stands on Gagyuzan Mountain, which rises to the north of the city. The castle is one of the “12 existing castle towers” that were built before the Edo period and have been preserved. The castle is one of the “12 existing castle towers” that were built before the Edo period and is the only mountain castle with a preserved castle tower.

Tracing the History of Bicchu Matsuyama Castle

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is located at an elevation of 430 meters above sea level. Because of its elevation and topography, a “sea of clouds” can easily form, and can often be seen. The castle tower appears to float in the sea of clouds, which is beautiful and has been described as a “mountain castle in the sky.

According to Mr. Noriaki Miura of the Education Division of the Takahashi City Board of Education, “Takahashi City is characterized by a mortar-shaped basin topography, which makes it easy for the sea of clouds to stay in place. This makes it a place where you can encounter a sea of clouds with a high probability. The best season for cloud seas is considered to be from October to December. The fantastic sight can be seen from the “Sea of Clouds Observatory” located in the northeastern part of the castle.

Castles evolve as their owners change

Gagyuzan, on which Bitchu Matsuyama Castle stands, is named for its shape like a cow lying down, and consists of four peaks: Omatsuyama, Tenjin-no-maru, Komatsuyama, and Maeyama.
In 1240, a fort was built on Omatsuyama by Shigenobu Akiba, a landowner at that time, and this is said to be the beginning of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle. When the castle came under the control of the Tokugawa Shogunate after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Masatsugu Kobori, Masakazu (Enshu) and his son were assigned to this area as magistrates. It is said that they began repairing the palace and castle.

In 1642, Mizunoya Katsutaka became the lord of the castle. His son, Katsumune, spent about three years from 1681 to complete a large-scale renovation of the castle, including the construction of turrets and a major gate, and completed the entire castle as it stands today.
In 1868, the Bicchu-Matsuyama Clan was regarded as a morning enemy in the Boshin War, a conflict between the new Meiji government forces and the old shogunate forces. The castle was opened without bloodshed, thanks to the decision of Yamada Houkoku and others, a scholar of the Yomei school of thought, who were working on reforming the domain government at the time. The castle was thus spared from being destroyed.

From forgotten to town-wide preservation and restoration

Although the castle survived the crisis for a time, in 1873, the “decree for the abolition of castles” was promulgated. Bitchu Matsuyama Castle was put up for auction by the national government, and although it is said that local residents purchased the castle, it was left unattended because it was too expensive to dismantle everything on top of the mountain. Because of its location, the castle has passed through time without being seen by anyone. Before long, the existence of the castle itself was forgotten, and it became a desolate castle.

A major turning point came in 1927. A full-scale investigation of the castle began, led by a teacher at a local junior high school who knew the history of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and recognized its value. The existence of the castle, which even the local residents did not know, came to light, and momentum for its preservation gradually grew.
From 1939 to 1940, the castle underwent a major Showa-era renovation. In 1939-1940, the castle underwent a major renovation in the Showa period (1926-1989), during which students from local elementary and junior high schools and girls’ schools carried some 20,000 tiles up to the castle at the top of the mountain, as shown in photographs. It seems that the entire town was involved in the restoration of the castle,” said Miura. Since then, the castle has undergone three major renovations, in 1957 and 2000.

The building has never been damaged by war or natural disasters, and has remained as it was in the past.

To reach the keep, visitors walk for about 20 minutes along a steep mountain path from the Fuigotoge parking lot at the 8th station. As you approach, you will see stone walls piled on top of natural rocks. Some of the stone walls were built to incorporate the 10-meter-high towering bedrock, and the power of the walls is overwhelming. The stonewalls that take advantage of the mountain terrain are another highlight of the castle.
The castle tower is a two-story, two-tiered building with a wooden tile roof. At approximately 11 meters high, it is the lowest of the 12 existing keepers, but boasts a distinctive appearance with a karahafu (Chinese gable) on the front of the keep.

On the first floor, there is a sunken hearth, which is rare for a castle tower, and the “Syozoku-no-Ma,” which served as the living quarters of the castle’s lord and his family. It is thought that he intended to have the town of Takahashi protected from the highest point of the castle.

Miura says, “We believe that the castle tower has survived to the present day because the area was not subjected to air raids during the war and was not prone to earthquakes or other natural disasters.

Welcoming the cat castle owner, Sanjuro, the castle is now equipped with a new charm.

Bicchu Matsuyama Castle has a history of changing owners as time goes by. The current lord of the castle is a cat!　

The cat, which was originally kept in Takahashi City, left its owner’s home after the heavy rains in western Japan in 2008 and came to live at the castle. Rumors spread that “there is a cute cat in the castle,” and it quickly became popular after being introduced on local TV and in newspapers. The cat was protected by the Takahashi City Tourist Association and named “Sanjuro” after Tani Sanjuro, a samurai from the Bitchu Matsuyama domain who was a Shinsengumi commander of the 7th Squadron, and because the first place he was found was in the San-no-maru area. He was to live in the “Five Flat Tower,” where the castle’s administrative offices are located.

Due to his popularity, on December 16, 2018, he was appointed as the owner of the cat castle. Depending on his condition and mood, Sanjuro can be seen twice a day during his walks around the castle.
In March 2024, a memorial hall “Ashiato Kan (Ashiato Museum for Cat Lord Sanju-roo)” opened in the former Haniwara family residence in Ishibiya-cho, located at the southern foot of Gagyu Mountain, where Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is built. Its popularity knows no bounds.

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle” is the only mountain castle in Japan where the Edo period castle tower still exists as it was in those days. The view of the castle tower floating in the sea of clouds attracts visitors as it has done since the old days. Thinking about the history of this castle and the fantastic scenery that the people of that time must have seen, we hope to continue to protect it as a scenic spot that Okayama Prefecture should be proud of in the future.

The post Is the current lord of the castle a cat? Bicchu Matsuyama Castle, a mountain castle in the sky, floating in a sea of clouds first appeared on NIHONMONO.

This brass spoon has a thin, straight handle with an impressive rounded spoon. This spoon is from “Lue,” a brand of brass cutlery and miscellaneous goods, represented by Ms. Rikika Kikuchi. The simple design with no unnecessary decorations gives the spoon a warmth that only handmade products can provide.

What matters is not who made it.

Lue’s studio is located in the peaceful countryside of Setouchi Oku-cho, about 40 minutes by car east of central Okayama City. The building was converted from the barn of his wife’s parents’ house, with the workshop on the first floor and the gallery store on the second floor.

Mr. Kikuchi was born to a father who was a brass accessory artist, and began helping him when he was in high school. In 2006, he decided to specialize in brass cutlery and started his own brand, Lue. The name “Lue” came from a nickname he had as a child. My name is Ruka Kikuchi. My father, who was a Christian, named me after a Christian believer, Luke. When I was a child, I was called ‘Rue-kun,’ and it was based on that”.

Beautiful and functional spoons inspired by his father

The first product to emerge was the “teaspoon. This standard product, which he continues to make today, is also strongly influenced by his father. When he consulted with his father about making a spoon, the one he made for him as a sort of sample was very close to the current form. What particularly caught Mr. Kikuchi’s attention was that the hammered marks applied by striking the handle were added not for design but for ease of holding. He was strongly attracted to the fact that there was no need to waste work, yet it was beautiful to look at and functional.

He also likes the property of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, which oxidizes and mellows in color as it is used. The color changes depending on how it is used and cared for, making it a one-of-a-kind item that he can become attached to.

We are happy to have them continue to use our products for a long time.

What Mr. Kikuchi values is that his products can be used for many years to come. This also includes the folk art concept. He prefaces his comment by saying, “Mingei people may not think so,” but he continues, “Mingei in Okayama is about making good things, in the same form, and at a low cost, so that they can continue to be made for a long time. I feel that it is based on such a craftsman-like idea. In terms of continuing to make the same form, I wonder if “Lue” items have an image similar to that of folk art,” he says.

This leads to the fact that he works under the brand name “Lue,” rather than as an artist with his own name in the foreground. Although he started out as a one-man workshop, he now operates with two production staff and one person in charge of sales and administrative work. I would be happy if people continue to use these spoons long after we are gone, regardless of who made them,” he says. I myself am not concerned about the name “Lue” remaining on the spoon. If there are people who enjoy using them, that makes me happy.

Involvement with others creates new products.

In addition to original products, “Lue” also produces a number of items made to order for stores and companies. One example is the “Pizza Scoop” made for the Kyoto restaurant “monk” for pizza sharing, and the “Kuromoji” for Japanese confectionery, which was created for the “LEXUS NEW TAKUMI PROJECT” of the automobile manufacturer Toyota. These items have been made into standard items for “Lue” so that they will be loved by many people for a long time and continue to be sold.

Attitude of not sticking only to handwork

Furthermore, since 2013, in addition to “handcrafted” products, which are made entirely by hand, the company has also been offering products in the “industrial” line. As the name suggests, these are industrial products.

He started out by visiting factories and looking for places where he could cooperate with others. He recalls that he started by visiting factories and looking for places that would cooperate with him. The “Industrial” line is produced by machine at a factory in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture, a production center for metalworking products, based on a prototype that Mr. Kikuchi made by hand. The products have a uniform shape, thinness, and brilliance that cannot be achieved by handwork. Machine production also helps to keep prices low.

To take advantage of being an industrial product, the concept of this line was “stackable. The first product was “Spork,” a spoon and fork for outdoor use and for children. The result is an item that is easy to carry without being bulky when stacked. Even though it is an industrial product, the prototype is handcrafted, giving it a warmth that only “Lue” can provide. Of course, the unique color of brass can be enjoyed as it ages. What should be done to create functional and long-lasting items? He chooses the best method without sticking only to handcrafting. This is the essence of Kikuchi’s craftsmanship.

The next step is to enjoy yourself.

In terms of handcraft production, a couple of years ago, he shifted his focus to allow his staff to do all of the work. This has changed the way Mr. Kikuchi approaches his work. Instead of treating the work as work, he is now able to “challenge himself to work in a half-playful way that he also enjoys.

For example, in 2022, he collaborated with Yukihito Kanai, who does “Amami mud dyeing” at Kanai Kogei, a dyeing studio on Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, and Tenshin juba, a ceramic artist who mainly produces slipware at Tsukumo Kiln in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. For the time being, it is positioned as an experimental experiment, but we look forward to the eventual development of this project with the involvement of writers, photographers, and other colleagues from different industries.

Another thing he would like to do is to make brass objects. I can’t make something good even if I force myself to make it, so I’m still putting it gently to bed,” says Kikuchi. It is like Kikuchi to wait for the right moment, without pushing too hard or being in a hurry. Like brass, the activities of “Lue” are changing little by little, gaining deeper and deeper luster. When Mr. Kikuchi encounters an enjoyable job that tickles his fancy, he is sure to surprise us with the new charm of brass.

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Bizen Pottery is the most famous pottery in Okayama. Bizen Pottery is a type of pottery with a strong earthy flavor that is fired over a long period of time. Koichiro Isezaki grew up with a grandfather and father who were both Bizen potters, and he grew up in an environment where pottery making was close at hand. However, his desire to create Bizen Pottery came later than expected, around the time he graduated from university, where he studied sculpture. He found himself drawn to three-dimensional modeling using clay.

Japan’s Six Old Kilns, dating back 800 years to the present

Bizen Pottery is one of the “Six Old Kilns of Japan,” named by antique ceramics researcher Fujio Koyama along with Seto, Shigaraki, Echizen, Tokoname, and Tanba Tachikki-yaki as representative ceramic kilns that originated in the Heian and Sengoku periods, the so-called Middle Ages, and continue to be produced today, and was recognized as a Japanese Heritage in 2017. Its production area is located in the vicinity of Ibe, Bizen City, in the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture. The brownish-brown color of Bizen ware is created by using iron-rich soil from this region and “firing without glaze. The kiln takes more than a week to fire the pottery, and the temperature is raised slowly to make it more durable. Although the pottery is not decorated, various colors and patterns can be produced depending on the placement of the kiln and the way the wood is used to fire the kiln.

Techniques that have continued to the present day, adapting to the times.

It began about 800 years ago. At the end of the Heian period (794-1185), a group of potters moved to this area in search of abundant clay and firewood. During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), they began to produce daily utensils such as suribachi (mortar and pestle), jars, and tsuyu (earthenware made of porcelain and porcelain). In the Azuchi-Momoyama period, the tea ceremony became popular, and it is recorded that Sen no Rikyu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi frequently used Bizen ware jugs and other tea utensils at tea ceremonies.

Bizen ware potters have continued to produce what the times demanded using the clay and firing methods available in this area. Even if a tea master in the capital asked for a particular shape, it was not possible to create it exactly as it was. The clay we make with our own clay, which has a strong and firm consistency, is suitable for that purpose. I think we have worked hard to think about what we can do and adapt to what we can do. Koichiro Isezaki thinks back to the Bizen potters of ancient times.

Studied sculpture at university and yakizome in the U.S.

Mr. Isezaki was born in Ibe, Bizen City, in 1974 as the eldest son of Jun Isezaki, a Bizen potter. He grew up in an environment where his father and his apprentices were busy at work and bookshelves were lined with collections of sculptures and art works. Naturally, creativity was close to his heart and always in his mind. Wanting to study sculpture at university, he entered the Department of Fine Arts at Tokyo Zokei University. When he left home, he told his father, “I don’t think I will do pottery,” to which his father responded, “Hmmm. He had been carving wood, but as he neared graduation, he decided that he wanted to try his hand at three-dimensional modeling using clay. After graduation, he studied with his father for a year and then moved to the United States to study under Jeff Shapiro, a longtime friend of his father’s and one of America’s leading ceramic artists.

Shapiro has a studio in the suburbs of New York City, where he studied pottery with yakishime for two years. After spending days watching Mr. Shapiro’s movements as he pulled the potter’s wheel, which seemed to be in a session with the clay in front of him, and through stimulating encounters with many people, Mr. Isezaki’s position on Bizen Pottery changed. Rather than wanting to make Bizen Pottery or vessels, I want to do three-dimensional modeling using clay, fired over a firewood fire. I want to share the goodness of clay with others and empathize with them. This was his entry point into Bizen Pottery.

Working side by side with my father

When Mr. Isezaki turned 30, his father, Jun Isezaki, was certified as an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder (Living National Treasure) in Bizen ware. Currently, father and son both work at their respective studios on the same site. From Mr. Isezaki’s point of view, his father Jun’s work can be summed up in one word: “generous. His personality comes through, and his creations do not intimidate people. On the other hand, Mr. Isezaki’s works, while adhering to traditional techniques, have unique forms that seem to express the strong energy of the clay, and are finely detailed and expressive in a variety of colors and textures. Jun and Isesaki have three kilns side by side at the foot of the mountain behind their studio, the largest of which is about 15 meters long and the medium-sized one about 10 meters long. Mr. Isezaki uses the same medium-sized kiln and a smaller kiln about 5 meters long, and fires the kilns two or three times a year.

Painting with Kiln Filling

The kiln-filling process is what determines the finish of Bizen ware. In order to arrange several hundred pieces in the kiln, the “burn” (finish) is controlled by reading how the flame hits the pieces and how the ash falls on them, the distance from the kiln opening, the placement of pieces of different sizes, and the angle of the pieces in relation to the flame. He calls it “painting in the kiln,” and says that arranging the pieces one by one is like putting together a puzzle. Basically, the pieces that are exposed to the flame are reddish brown, and those that are not exposed to the flame, such as the shadows of objects, are white. The ashes from the firewood of the red pine trees fall on the surface and melt at high temperatures, producing patterns such as “sesame,” which is a characteristic of Bizen ware (due to the natural glaze). No matter how long the kiln is, the front and the back of the kiln are connected, and the pieces placed in the kiln affect each other. For this reason, from the molding stage, he imagines where and how the pieces will be placed before making them.

However, it is not possible to produce the desired burn in millimeters. If you want everything the way you want it, you don’t choose this method. Mr. Isezaki says, “If you want everything the way you want it, you don’t choose this method. I think people who believe there is something important in this process are making this pottery here. When I tried using a different kind of clay and an electric kiln in the past, I realized that I was being kept alive by the emotion that comes from a wood-fired kiln. When you are dealing with nature, there are many uncertainties. But I think it is important to have the ability to deal with such things. I want to keep the sense that I can make my creations work in an environment that is constantly changing.

Kiln firing is a feeling of communion with nature

Kiln firing takes 13 days in a 15-meter kiln and one week in a 5-meter kiln. The temperature is raised slowly because the clay shrinks greatly, and if the temperature is raised too high at the beginning, the clay tends to break easily. Each kiln has its own theory, and the amount of firewood and firing time are calculated to ensure that each piece is fired to the expected temperature and time, with the three of them taking turns firing day and night every eight hours. Mr. Isezaki says he likes this time. He says he likes this time because it gives him time to clear his head. The last day and a half of firing is called “attack” or “big firing,” in which the front door is closed and wood is burned through a hole in the side of the kiln. Then the ashes fly all over the kiln. The temperature rises, baking the clay and melting the ashes at high temperature. The maximum temperature is 1250 to 1260 degrees Celsius. If the kiln is only to be fired, four or five days are sufficient, but if the potter wants to obtain the desired “burn,” such as a deep scarlet color, this is the number of days required.

The appeal of wood-fired pottery is the feeling of communing with nature. The wood has a life of its own, and we are allowed to burn it. The use of red pine, which has a high fat content and burns at high temperatures, is a form of wisdom discovered by our ancestors. Similarly, clay is a natural resource and finite. Bizen Pottery has become a technique that has continued to the present day because of this soil, which was created over millions of years, and there is a strong sense that it is made up of takarikimono. It is similar to agriculture, forestry, and sake brewing, and I believe that it is the farmer’s job to draw out the power of the ingredients so that he can produce what he considers “tasty. I believe that Bizen Pottery is absolutely necessary for people to live with nature.

Find the power of baking tightening that you have not yet realized.

Mr. Isezaki was awarded the 2022 Ceramic Society of Japan Award. The award is given to the most outstanding artist of the year in the ceramic art world. It has been 21 years since he began to show his works in public. In a family where not only his grandfather and father but also many of his relatives are Bizen potters, he has been able to express himself because when he took the plunge and started a new experiment, he met people who encouraged him and said, “Interesting. That is why I only pursue works that are attractive in themselves. I am still searching for the power of the firing process that I have not yet discovered, thinking that there must be more colors and textures to be found before I can be convinced that the finished piece is “good. His philosophy is that there must be more, there must be more, and based on this philosophy, Mr. Isesaki’s pottery continues to be updated on a daily basis.

The post I want to share and share the goodness of “earthenware. Koichiro Isezaki, Bizen Pottery artist first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Bizen Pottery is one of the Six Old Kilns, which have been in existence since the Middle Ages. Bizen Pottery is made of clay from the area around Bizen City in Okayama Prefecture and fired without glaze, giving each piece a different appearance. We visited the studio of potter Hitoshi Morimoto, who is trying to create modern pottery that fits in with today’s lifestyle while respecting the quality of Bizen-yaki.

Daily life is expressed in the work.

Located in the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture, the Ibe district of Bizen City is the home of Bizen Pottery, where numerous pottery studios and galleries are located. Although located in the same city, potter Hitoshi Morimoto’s home and studio are located in a quiet mountainous area about 20 minutes away by car. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city and surrounded by abundant nature, he is devoted to his ceramic art.
Mr. Morimoto was born to a father who was a Bizen potter. After graduating from college with a degree in sculpture, he went to Gifu Prefecture to study under Mino potter Seiya Toyoba, who was recommended by his father. He lived and worked with his master for four years.

Mr. Morimoto recalls, “It was like the training of a Zen monk. I would wake up in the morning, help with cleaning and meals, tend the garden, chop firewood, and so on, all while keeping an eye on my master’s movements and moving accordingly. It was his mission to support his master so that he could work comfortably. In such a life, he realized that “daily life is a person’s work of art. This experience has become the foundation of what Mr. Morimoto is doing today.

Bizen ware that blends into modern life.

After training in Gifu, Morimoto returned to his hometown in 2003 and began working with his father as a potter. The period of time away from his hometown was a great accomplishment, as it allowed him to gain an objective view of Bizen Pottery. Twenty to thirty years ago, when Mr. Morimoto began his career as a ceramic artist, Bizen ware was dominated by pieces that emphasized a sense of stateliness. Therefore, when people tried to incorporate Bizen ware into their daily lives, they sometimes found it difficult to use. With this in mind, Mr. Kikuchi decided to create a new type of Bizen Pottery, one that was thinner, lighter, and easier to use in everyday life, while still retaining the texture of Bizen Pottery. With these thoughts in mind, the challenge to create Bizen ware that fits into modern life began.

Clay making and climbing kilns are the key to Bizen ware

The basic clay used for Bizen Pottery is “tado,” or rice field clay, collected from the rice paddies around Bizen City. Because of its high shrinkage rate when placed in the kiln, the clay is tightly fired. Because of this, water does not leak out, so glazing is not necessary. Another important feature is that the color changes depending on the placement in the kiln and the way the ash is applied, producing a variety of expressions.

The clay Mr. Morimoto currently uses was purchased by his father about 50 years ago. He crushes the clay, which is as hard as a stone, and dissolves it in water to make the clay to his liking. Because he does not use glaze for his pottery, he puts a lot of effort into making the clay, which greatly affects the finished product.

He believes that firing in a wood-fired climbing kiln is important to bring out the best of Bizen clay. The climbing kiln is fired once every one to one and a half years, and it takes seven to eight months from preparation to firing. Once the firing starts, he spends about a week at the kiln. When I keep the climbing kiln burning, I feel that I am working with pottery,” he says. The feeling of being moved is different from other kilns,” says Mr. Morimoto with a twinkle in his eye.

Continues to work on glazed items

Morimoto continues to use a kerosene kiln to make glazed pieces that he learned from his master, alternating with Bizen ware made in a wood-fired kiln. The reason for this is very clear: “Having both makes the table more alive and interesting. He also says that working with both Bizen ware and glazed ware has been beneficial to him because it has allowed him to look at each piece objectively, even if it is his own work.。

Unique “White Flower” series fired in a kerosene kiln

The “Shirahana” series, made of Bizen clay and fired in a kerosene kiln, is an original creation of Mr. Morimoto. Like traditional Bizen ware, these pieces are fired without glaze, but they are fired in a kerosene kiln to avoid browning as much as possible, which gives them a flat finish and a mysterious texture. The color is a grayish white, which is characteristic of Bizen clay itself. With its well-honed form and colors never before seen in Bizen pottery, this series has gained popularity for its modern look that blends seamlessly into modern life.
Thus, even if the same Bizen clay is used, different pieces will have completely different expressions depending on the kiln used and the firing method. Mr. Morimoto believes that what is important for pottery is the compatibility between the clay and the kiln. When the chemistry is right, interesting pieces are born. His lighthearted attitude of experimenting with various techniques without being bound by stereotypes is probably what leads to the creation of pottery with new charms.

What we want to do is born one after another.

In her daily life, she tends to her garden, decorates it with seasonal flowers and plants, and continues to learn the tea ceremony from her mother. He has also been learning tea ceremony from his mother. He is particular about the space he creates and each tool he uses in his workspace, and has made it so that he can devote himself comfortably to his pottery making. She continues to live a careful life, unashamed of the lesson she learned from her master: “It is in the way one lives that one’s work is expressed. In the course of her daily life, she sees many things and speaks with many people, and what she wants to do keeps coming up one after another.

When asked about his future, he replied, “There are so many things I want to do that I haven’t been able to digest them all. So I’ll just have to do one thing at a time. This is the driving force behind Morimoto’s pottery. In recent years, he has been receiving more and more work from overseas. The yakishime process is seen as modern by people overseas, and is gaining support. He is often asked to make large pieces, which he could not do in Japan even though he wanted to, and this is very rewarding.

My real work lies ahead.

While experimenting with new things in this way, he intends to continue to produce compelling pieces of work, both Bizen ware and glazed ware, as a professional. On top of that, he says that his challenge is how to continue to enjoy ceramic art without getting bored or accustomed to it. Now that I have become able to do a certain amount of things,” Morimoto says, ”I think my real work lies ahead. He will continue to sublimate the teachings and techniques he inherited from his mentor and father into his own ceramic art, and will continue to expand the new world of pottery with lightness and flexibility.

The post Bizen Pottery: Breathing New Life into Traditional Bizen Pottery, Ceramic Artist Hitoshi Morimoto / Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.