A Story told through handmade Japanese dishware – ”Ceramic artist; Shinobu Hashimoto”

Modern handmade Japanese dishware

Ceramic artist, Shinobu Hashimoto is based in Sapporo. He makes Japanese dishware and tea cups by hand which he sells throughout Japan and overseas. He holds private overseas exhibitions several times a year. He was attracted by ceramics and opened his gallery in a small backstreet in Sapporo on his own. He has struggled to get to where he is. He claims that, ”I did not learn from anyone so I have a very free style,” and his pieces are modern and tasteful. When you hold them in your hands, ”it is compact overall and all the extras have been removed. I feel strength.” commented Nakata. He also noted that the artwork truly reflected the artist.

The story begins when you ”use after repairing”

One thing to mention about Hashimoto’s creative activity is that he values repairing broken dishware. He will take his own pieces back to repair for free. ”It is great to repair something to use again. For the person who made it, it is the biggest joy. The new story will begin from there,” says Hashimoto. ”Normally, people throw it away when it is broken. This may be because of a culture based on ”kannyu” (a small crackling pattern created on the glaze of a ceramic piece). It takes a lot of time and effort to repair,” says Nakata with admiration. Repairs, at times, involve replacing the clay and re-firing.

Presenting the culture of modern Japanese dishware abroad

There is a technique called ”Kintsugi (golden joinery)” for repairing. Hashimoto does not use this method, but his stance toward repairs inspired many, leading some customers to learn the technique of ”Kintsugi”. At his exhibition, he presented work that was broken deliberately and re-created by ”Kintsugi”. It was so popular that all the work sold out. There are historical examples when the value of a piece increased after being repaired with ”Kintsugi”. Hashimoto’s unique expressions are popular abroad as well, and led to talk of exhibitions in London and Hong Kong. Language is a problem when working independently but, ”While it would be better if I can manage different languages, but the dishware will tell its own story. I feel that the work I do does not require language.”