Shigaraki Town in Shiga Prefecture is blessed with high-quality potter’s clay and has developed through the pottery industry.
The Otani Pottery, run by a potter and his wife, is located in this area that has attracted the attention of pottery lovers.
Starting with the “flat pot,” an all-purpose cooking utensil that updates the earthenware pot to suit modern lifestyles,
they produce daily ceramic works such as white porcelain and painted ceramics that add color to daily life and accompany daily living.
Tetsuya Otani and Momoko Otani, who are both potters in Shigaraki, one of the six oldest kilns in Japan, are popular artists who receive unending offers for solo exhibitions from Tokyo and abroad. The couple’s studio, located in a mountain village, offers a peaceful atmosphere where one can relax and unwind. White porcelain and painting. Even though their styles are different, they share something in common.
Careful living produces good things.
The spacious studio and home are set on a large plot of land where birds are singing and seasonal flowers are blooming. Visitors to Otani Pottery are first attracted by the location.
Tetsuya says, ” One of my jobs is to arrange people’s lives. The overlap of work and home is the basis of their craftsmanship, as when they water the garden or sit around the dinner table with their family.
Shigaraki is a town that has developed through the pottery industry
Shigaraki Town in Koka City is located in the southern part of Shiga Prefecture. The area, which used to be at the bottom of Lake Biwa about 4 million years ago, has one of the highest deposits of high-quality pottery clay in the country. The region is particularly strong in the production of large ceramics, and is famous for its hibachi (brazier) and raccoon dog figurines.
In recent years, Shigaraki-ware tableware, which makes the most of the simple texture of the clay, has been attracting attention from pottery lovers.
Longing to live and become a potter
Mr. and Mrs. Otani opened their studio and home here in 2008. Momoko’s parents, who were both potters, were inspired by the peaceful lifestyle of Shigaraki while making things, and they decided to set up their own studio in the area.
Momoko is particular about the building and interior design, saying, “The sense of beauty cultivated through daily life naturally shows in my work.
There is no air conditioner in the Otani’s living room, and when the large windows are left open, a gentle summer breeze wafts through the room. There is not a lot of stuff in the house, but there is a sense of unity in the things that are placed there, and only the things that make them feel comfortable are there.
It is not flashy, but it is a rich, down-to-earth lifestyle. This is the basis of their work.
Universal tableware born from a “rich lifestyle
A gallery named “knot” is located in the area connecting the studio and their home. The soft light streaming in through the window brings out the beauty of the two artists’ works on display.
The style of each artist’s work has remained almost the same since the beginning. Even if you buy more pieces years from now, they will fit in well and will be a part of your daily life for a long time.
Simple and stateless. White porcelain suitable for any occasion
Tetsuya creates white porcelain vessels. The well-honed form is simple, beautiful, and easy to use, and it functions well on its own, but when stacked together, it takes on a different look that is truly fascinating.
The color is “white” and the molding method is “rokuro,” a limited world in which he found his own unique field of work.
The vessels also leave a blank space for the user to complete his or her own view of the world by enjoying his or her own unique arrangement, such as serving food or decorating with flowers.
Vessels decorated with spontaneous painting to add color to the dining table
Many of Momoko’s works are made of Shigaraki ware, which retains its unique clay texture, and painted with spontaneous and delicate pictures.
Momoko says, ” Ideas are born in the kitchen. They are born in the kitchen while cooking, entertaining guests, and enjoying life.
The motifs of her paintings are mainly plants, such as lotus flowers and banana leaves. When she was studying abroad at a university, she had an opportunity to visit Indonesia, where she was exposed to the charm of the tropics. Painted works tend to have a strong sense of presence, but this may be because the motifs are based on nature. The products are easy to use, and when you use them, you will feel a sense of excitement. It is a vessel that gives color to your life.
Flat pots that can be used for all kinds of dishes, Japanese, Western, and Chinese
Tetsuya first attracted attention as a ceramic artist with his white porcelain.
While creating a series of white porcelain, the Otani family used “flat pots” in their daily lives, and they were so easy to use that they quickly became popular when he presented them as a work of art. This earthenware pot can be used over an open flame or in the oven, and is versatile for all kinds of cooking, from Western dishes such as gratin and quiche to Japanese simmered dishes and baking sweets. It does not have a handle like conventional earthenware pots, and its simple form makes it look good even when placed directly on the dining table. The more it is used, the more its color changes from white to brown and its texture increases. The fact that they can be stacked and stored in different sizes is also attractive.
Momoko’s blog on the Otani Pottery website, titled “Hibi Hira pots,” includes hints for enjoying life.
We want to connect what we think is good to the people around us.
The two have established themselves as popular artists, and it is not unusual to find numbered tickets being handed out on the first day of an exhibition. Now that they have finished raising their children, they have begun to pursue new goals.
They are now moving on to new goals. Grabbing round-trip airline tickets and paying for their stay locally
About 10 years ago, they took a bold step. I had saved up money with the goal of having an exhibition abroad. I decided to take my three children to a gallery in Seattle for a two-person show and aworkshop at the University of Washington. When I went to buy tickets, the round-trip airfare alone was beyond my budget. We decided to go there anyway, stay at a friend’s house, and get the proceeds from the exhibition in cash immediately. With the extra money I had, I rented a car and traveled to San Francisco. He recalls with nostalgia.
This reckless challenge led to an increase in the number of exhibitions abroad, and he began holding exhibitions in the U.S., Taiwan, Australia, China, and other countries every year.
He has held exhibitions every year in the U.S., Taiwan, Australia, China, and other countries. Tableware is used all over the world. It is also fun to learn about cultural differences. One-third of his current work comes from overseas.
Becoming a Potter is an Aspiration
Before becoming a potter, Tetsuya taught design at the local Ceramic Technology Laboratory. He has witnessed the reality that the people who graduate from the testing center do not settle in Shigaraki.
Momoko, who grew up in Shigaraki, was also concerned that none of the local elementary school students listed ceramics as a future career.
I have done what I wanted to do as an artist,” she said. From now on, I want to support young people so that they can settle in Shigaraki and make a career as a potter. If there are more potters in Shigaraki every year, there will be 30 interesting potters in the next 30 years. I am sure that this will bring about a positive cycle to the town.
Currently, two apprentices are working together in the studio. He is supporting his apprentices by making a systematic plan so that they can basically become independent in five years. The studio will be expanded by the end of this year to be ready to accept apprentices.
The peaceful and affluent life that has been lived in the village of ceramics is a passion for the future of Shigaraki. There is also a passion for the future of Shigaraki. It will not be long before more and more people will aspire to become potters in Shigaraki and the entire town will be revitalized.
What lies ahead for Mr. and Mrs. Otani
Tetsuya Otani’s “flat pots” are the signature product of the Otani Pottery and are unwaveringly popular.
Mr. and Mrs. Otani hope that by making “flat pots” even more popular than they are now, they can support their apprentices during the period when they leave the nest and get their lives on track as artists. If her apprentices can establish a base for their lives while making “flat pots,” they will be able to create their own unique works of art without imitating or making similar products to those that are currently selling, and she sincerely hopes that this will help them become healthy and independent as artists. He also says that he is looking forward to seeing the “flat pot” someday become something that is not only special for the Japanese dining table, but is used all over the world.
They dream of a world in which the vessels they nurtured will be handed down to the next generation as enduring objects that will be loved by people long after they are gone, a world that would be a true blessing for potters.
For some reason, the view of the world that they create is very warm, and we are drawn into each of the vessels that they create. The future of Shigaraki can be seen in the vessels of Mr. and Mrs. Otani.
It is a shame that earthenware pots, which have supported people’s food culture since long ago, are no longer used. From a slightly different perspective, earthenware pots are excellent products that can be used for various types of cooking. The “flat pot” is an updated version of the earthenware pot for today’s lifestyles. Through “Nihonmono,” we hope that more people will become aware of the unlimited possibilities of the flat pot.
