Sophisticated, translucent, and beautiful lines – Inoue Manji Kiln

Inoue Manji Kiln” of Arita porcelain white porcelain

When one thinks of Arita-yaki porcelain, one probably thinks of porcelain decorated with beautiful colors. However, most of porcelain artist Mr.Manji Inoue’s works are undecorated white porcelain. Even so, his vessels have a far greater presence than those that have been lavishly colored. The translucent white porcelain twists and turns and intertwines into intricate forms that are hard to imagine how they were made. He creates these forms, which would be impossible even with the latest 3D printers, using only a potter’s wheel and his hands. His advanced skills have earned him the title of Living National Treasure of Arita-yaki porcelain.
For me, the form itself is the pattern. Since it is a craft, it has to have both utility and beauty. I make complicated shapes, but in fact, the most difficult thing is to make an ordinary bowl. There have been times when it took me about a year to make a single bowl because I just couldn’t get it right,” said Mr.Manji.
Born in 1929, Mr.Manji was demobilized from the military and studied porcelain making under Kakiemon Sakaida XII. In his seventh year of training, he fell in love with the techniques of Okugawa Chuemon I, a renowned master potter, and became a student of his. Since then, he has devoted himself to the potter’s wheel. Whenever there is an exhibition, I go abroad. Traveling gives me inspiration, which is reflected in my work,” says Mr.Manji.

Carrying on the tradition of Arita-yaki porcelain

Currently, he and his grandson Yuki have a kiln and gallery in Arita-cho, Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga Prefecture. Yuki graduated from Tamagawa University’s Faculty of Art and Design and worked in the fashion apparel industry before returning to her hometown. He is an artist of note.

According to Mr.Manji, more than 500 people have studied under him, including many overseas.
Teaching others is hard,” he says. If you just want to make it yourself, you only need 10 skills, but if you want to teach others, you need 12 to 13 skills. While inheriting the techniques of the past, we are making the pottery of today. This is how tradition is passed on. Just doing things the way they were in the past will not lead to development. We need to constantly challenge ourselves and train new people,” says Mr.Manji.
What kind of person is suited to pottery? (Nakata)
(Nakata) “Clumsy is no good, but neither is too dexterous. If you are dexterous, you can quickly form a shape and stop trying. It will be the same with anything, but the person who can keep up the same effort day after day will eventually make it big.”

He said, “There is no perfection in white porcelain. Even when you are 90 years old, you are still learning. As I talked with him, who seemed to enjoy talking about white porcelain, I could tell that he loves white porcelain from the bottom of his heart. Mr.Manji spent 20 years creating 400 pieces of white porcelain, all “different” from each other, for the 400th anniversary of Arita-yaki porcelain. Manji’s pursuit of ceramics has no end in sight.