Pottery culture that has continued in Kasama since the Edo period
The Kasama region of Ibaraki Prefecture had an abundance of high-quality raw materials suitable for pottery, and from the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868), many artisans began to gather to establish official kilns and create a pottery town where daily necessities were made.
The tradition is still carried on today in the city of Kasama, which has been renamed Kasama City. There is the Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of Ceramic Art, the first museum of ceramic art in eastern Japan, and the Ibaraki Prefectural Kasama College of Ceramic Art, where visitors can learn pottery making, and there are many pottery galleries in the city.
There will also be a ceramic fire festival in Kasama
The “Kasama Pottery Festival (Himatsuri),” held every year during Golden Week, attracts about 500,000 visitors during the festival, with over 200 potters and ceramic studios selling their works, as well as food booths and concerts to enjoy.
What sets Kasama apart from other production centers is that there is no easily recognizable characteristic of “this is Kasama-yaki” in terms of its form and painting. Many young people who aspired to become potters gathered in the area, which gave birth to a free style, and they create their own works using clay and glazes from all over Japan. This freedom is what attracts the attention of many enthusiasts as “the character of Kasama-yaki.
Making female-friendly Kasama-yaki
Ceramic artist Makiko Suzuki was one of those who were attracted to Kasama pottery and came to this town.
Her aunt, who used to be an art teacher, started a pottery class after she retired, which inspired her to become a ceramic artist around 2003. After learning basic techniques, he taught himself how to make pottery and started his own brand in 2006. Suzuki says that what is important to her when making pottery is that it should be “women-friendly.
The weight should be light enough for a woman to stack and carry, stackable so that they do not look bulky when stored on a shelf, and designed to blend in with the interior design even when stacked randomly. The vases should stand beautifully and can be used as flower vases, and they should make food look bright and color-matching enjoyable.
The beautiful turquoise blue pieces, which were inspired by the late 20th century British-based potter Lucy Lee, not only have a modern and delicate atmosphere, but are also highly functional as everyday beauty, and have a very large female fan base.
A place full of smiles with Kasama-yaki
He rents an old private house in Kasama City and has a studio on the premises. A ceramist’s workshop is usually tense and tense, but here, the air is relaxed and easygoing. Mr. Suzuki says that when he begins work on a piece, he makes it a point to take some time to relax. I think that if I make something with a smile on my face, people will use it comfortably in their daily lives,” she says. Suzuki’s works, which are popular in select stores, are named “La Maison de Vent. The meaning of the name is “a house where the wind lives. The fresh breeze blowing in Kasama and her smiling face create gentle and beautiful vessels.
