Compared to teacups and teacups, it is surprisingly difficult to find a kyusu that one likes. Among them, the kyusu of Jyoji Nakamura, a Kyoto-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki artist who has won many prizes at pottery exhibitions and also produces art works, is secretly gaining popularity. Nakamura’s vessels are all designed to fit in with modern homes.

Nakamura moved from Osaka to Kyoto when he entered university. While still in school, he was selected for a ceramic art exhibition

After graduating from an art high school, Osaka native Joji Nakamura came to Kyoto at the age of 18 to study ceramics at Kyoto Seika University’s Faculty of Art and Design. After graduating from the university, he apprenticed himself to potters Kozo and Yoshinobu Kawashima in Sumiyama, Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, where he lived and worked for three years. He recalls that this period, during which he learned the know-how of practical ceramic arts such as pottery, was an important starting point for him.

While still in college, Nakamura was selected for the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition, which is regarded as a gateway to success for ceramic artists, and during his apprenticeship, he was selected and won prizes at several public exhibitions. Although he was originally prohibited from participating in exhibitions during his apprenticeship, his teachers gave their tacit approval when they saw how dedicated Nakamura was to his work and how he continued to create artwork whenever he had free time.

In 2012, after a period of time during which he worked mainly on artwork in parallel with his work at the Kiyomizuyaki ware complex in Yamashina-ku, Kyoto and as a part-time lecturer at his alma mater, Seika University, Nakamura established G-studio, a studio that operates as a production line for practical products separate from art production, on Gojozaka, which is also known as the birthplace of Kiyomizuyaki. G-studio” was established on Gojozaka, known as the birthplace of Kiyomizuyaki. She decided to start producing practical products when she got married, and as a result, the range of Nakamura’s style has expanded even further.

Studio in the Center of Kyoto and Kiyomizuyaki Ware

The area around Gojozaka in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, where Nakamura’s studio is located, has flourished since the mid-Edo period as the area in front of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, where pottery was produced and sold as souvenirs to visitors to the temple. Gojozaka was also the base of the potter Kawai Kanjiro, who was active as a folk art activist along with Yanagi Muneyoshi and others.

If I were to set up my own studio, it would be in the Gojozaka area. Nakamura says that he had decided to set up his own studio in the Gojozaka area even before he started his own business. Because he is a newcomer from another prefecture and is not the heir to a kiln, he decided to work in the center of Kyoto and Kiyomizu-yaki pottery. The choice of Gojozaka was a sign of his determination to live as an artist in Kyoto.

In fact, he says that he learned a lot from using this location as his base.

Not only did he make connections with many ceramic artists in the surrounding area, but he also had many opportunities to interact with tourists from Japan and abroad in this area where hotels and guesthouses are located. The stimulation and insight gained there sometimes led to the creation of new works of art. The tea ceremony utensils that are now Nakamura’s masterpieces were created as a result of such opportunities.

Chinese tourists were the catalyst for Nakamura’s tea ceremony utensils.

At a time when inbound tourism was booming, Chinese tourists from all over the world were particularly conspicuous among the visitors. He decided to make tea utensils for brewing Chinese tea, and they were well received by Chinese tourists and Japanese alike. Since then, the kyusu has become one of Nakamura’s masterpieces.

What is most distinctive about this kyusu is its size. The size of the kyusu, which is almost one size smaller than a regular kyusu and reminiscent of a Chinese tea kyusu, was born out of a desire to have a kyusu that is just right for brewing a single cup of tea during a break on a cold day. The kyusu is very useful because it is difficult to brew a single cup of tea in a large kyusu, and tea leaves are wasted.

He often names his pieces after colors, such as ” Haksusui kyusu ” ( white crystal kyusu ) and ” Fukoku ginsai kyusu” (black and silver colored kyusu ). The somewhat Asian feel to the designs reflects Nakamura’s preference for items from the Joseon Yi Dynasty, which he collects himself. At the same time, Nakamura also pays close attention to the fine handwork, such as the tight closing of the lid, so that the charm of Japanese craftsmanship and the essence of Kyo-yaki can be felt.

Not many people make kyusu. That is why it is so meaningful to make them.

Among potters, there are not so many who make kyusu compared to teacups and teacups. Nakamura says that because kyusu has many parts and requires a lot of time and effort to make, not many people want to make kyusu.

That is why Nakamura has been focusing on kyusu. Recently, he is often asked to make kyusu at private exhibitions and shows.

The concept behind his pottery making is to “make it to fit the building. The design is in line with modern life.

Nakamura’s kyusu, which would look at home on a Western table, and his other vessels, which would not look out of place in a modern living space, are made based on the concept of ” making to fit the building. This concept was cultivated in Kyoto, where he has lived since his student days.

There are many machiya residences in Kyoto, but when you enter one, you find that the inside has been completely remodeled, often in Western-style rooms. This is not limited to Kyoto; the same may be true of houses that have been remodeled from the old Showa period. Besides, more and more people are living in condominiums. As lifestyles change, the design of homes also changes, and the interior design changes along with it. Since tableware is also a part of interior design, I would like to propose a “modern dining experience” by creating tableware that fits the changing Japanese lifestyle.

Nakamura says that when he was in high school, he was torn between ceramics and architecture when choosing a career path, but after he began to study ceramics in college, he felt that the two genres were closely connected. He felt that the two genres were closely connected after he began working in ceramics at university. This is because most practical ceramics are used in buildings, and objects in the city often form a landscape together with buildings.

Matcha bowls for a parfait at a resort hotel, which was designed to resemble a garden in Kyoto.

Aman Kyoto The Living Pavilion by Aman] “Garden Parfait Zen Garden” (early summer, 2021)

In addition to residential spaces, Mr. Nakamura also demonstrates his skills in the production of tableware for use in resort facilities.

In 2021, Nakamura made tea bowls for desserts that will be available for a limited time only during the season of fresh greenery at the Aman Kyoto resort hotel in Takagamine, an area rich in nature in the northern part of Kyoto City. The dessert is a parfait that was made to look like a Zen garden, and is served at “The Living Pavilion by Aman,” a restaurant overlooking the hotel’s beautiful moss garden. To serve the parfait, Nakamura created a ” kokujaku yugen ” matcha bowl.

The color of the bowl is black, which is also linked to the design of the hotel. The jet-black glaze, which is often used in Nakamura’s works, gives the bowl an unwavering strength and depth that firmly captures the vivid green color.

His identity as a Kyotoite has grown.

In 2013, his objet d’art “Gogu – Wind God and Thunder God” won the Kyo-ten Prize at the Kyo-ten, a public exhibition sponsored by Kyoto City that has produced many leading Japanese artists, including the Japanese-style painter Uemura Shoen, and in 2018, ” Fukuro Ginsai Chaki-asore ” was selected for the ” Ceramic Society of Japan Encouragement Award Kansai Exhibition ” held to discover local artists. Ginsai Chaki-asore ” won the Encouragement Prize. Mr. Nakamura has won awards at publicly solicited exhibitions for both his artwork and practical products, and is now one of the artists leading a new era in the world of pottery in Kyoto.

After more than 20 years in Kyoto, Nakamura says he finally feels comfortable calling himself a “Kyotoite. Nakamura’s pottery and tea ceremony utensils are often described as “Kyoto-like in their delicate style,” but when he first started out as an independent potter, he says he was never strongly aware that he was a Kyoto or Kiyomizu-yaki artist.

This is because, unlike Shigaraki-yaki and Arita-yaki, there are no rules regarding techniques or raw materials for Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki. Because of this, it was difficult for him to have an identity that his work was Kyo-yaki, and his own perception was that he was just making what he wanted to make.

However, after establishing his own business on Gojozaka and interacting with many artists, Nakamura gradually became aware of the “Kyoto-ness” of his work.

Living in Kyoto, I sometimes meet people who make me think, ‘This person is a Kyoto artist. I believe that Kyoto-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki are born from the “spirit of Kyoto” that comes from living in Kyoto, experiencing its scenery, air, and people, and learning about its history. I would be happy if people feel that something like that comes out in what I make.”

Some of his works are in the collections of ceramic museums in Japan and abroad.

The approximately 20 years Nakamura spent in Kyoto, and especially what he absorbed in Gojozaka, made him a Kyoto artist.

The delicate yet unwaveringly strong works produced by his hands are in the collections of the World Tile Museum (Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture), the Ichinokura Sakazuki Museum (Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture), the International Museum of Ceramic Art inFaenza (Italy), and the Honenin Temple in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City . The museum is also housed at the Honenin Temple in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto.

Nakamura’s tea utensils, created in response to contemporary lifestyles, are sure to provide fresh impressions to visitors and easily cross borders in Kyoto, a city that has been reopened as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations and where the movement of people has become more active.

The post Creating a kyusu suited to the modern home. Kiyomizu-yaki artist Joji Nakamura/Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Pate de verre,” the world’s oldest glass-making technique, has its origins in ancient Mesopotamia. In Kyoto, there is a couple of craftsmen who have sublimated this technique into a one-of-a-kind art craft by adding the essence of Japanese craftsmanship to it. Their eldest son, glass artist Tomofumi Ishida, is the one who inherits and evolves this technique.

The birth of glass was about 3,500 years ago. What is the oldest glass technique “pate de verre”?

Pate de verre ” is a technique that originated approximately 3,500 years ago during the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. It is a type of casting glass in which clay or stone molds are filled with silica sand, crystal, or metallic ore powder for coloring, and the entire mold is then fired in a kiln.

Glassmaking using this technique is thought to have continued for about 1,500 years, but when the technique of blown glass was invented in the late 1st century B.C. during the Roman period, pate de verre, which was more labor-intensive than blown glass, declined. Since there were no written records of the technique, it came to be known as a ” phantom technique.

Artists attracted to this “phantom technique

Pate de verre once again attracted attention at the end of the 19th century. This was triggered by the Art Nouveau movement. During this period, many artists, including Amalric Walter and G. Algee Rousseau of France, produced works in pate de verre. However, none of them disclosed their techniques, and the method of making pate de verre was once again shrouded in mystery.

In 1932, the Iwaki Glass Works, Japan’s first private Western-style glass factory, began to reproduce the technique, and in 1975, art historian and glass craft specialist Tsuneo Yusui, who has studied the Mesopotamian pate de verre in the field of experimental archaeology, published his first book on the subject, “The Mesopotamian Pate de Verre. In 1975, Tsuneo Yusui, an art historian and specialist in glass art, reconstructed the Mesopotamian pate de verre production technique from the field of experimental archaeology, and began public education on the technique in1977. In this trend, there were artists who incorporated the pate de verre into their work. Tomofumi Ishida told us, “It was a little later that my parents, who were dyeing designers in Muromachi and Nishijin in Kyoto, came across pate de verre and began to study it.

Aiming to create glass crafts that incorporate Kyoto’s sense of beauty

 Wataru Ishida | Ishida Glass Studio (ishida-glass.com)

Tomofumi’s parents, Wataru and Seiki Ishida, who were active as kimono and obi designers, first heard of Pate de verre in 1985 when they visited an exhibition of Art Nouveau pieces. Wataru, who had always enjoyed ceramics, and Seiki, who had studied the tea ceremony and flower arrangement and loved beautiful things, were fascinated by the smooth texture of Amalric Walter’s nudes, which were different from glass or ceramics. The duo decided to create glass works with motifs of chrysanthemums, pine trees, pretty birds, and plants, while adding the essence of Japanese craftsmanship, which is their main occupation.

However, neither of them had any experience in making glass works. They even attended a culture class in town, but the finished pieces seemed completely different from the ones they had been attracted to. So, they purchased an electric furnace and began research at home while working as draughtsmen, but it was no easy task. The pate de verre technique was not easy to understand, and the fact that the two artists wanted to create their own style made the hurdles even higher.

There was no one to serve as a benchmark. Seven years of groping

Seiki recalls that when he first began his research, he was very troubled by the fact that there were no predecessors to serve as role models.

In the world of traditional art, there are always masters, such as living national treasures. Whether to aim for the style of such masters or to go in the opposite direction. When there is a person who can serve as a benchmark, one’s own path is set. There were people in Japan and abroad who created pate de verre, but these people were not the benchmark for the couple’s research.

For example, the delicate use of color, exquisiteness, and meticulous handiwork that is created down to the smallest detail. The couple, who both work in the traditional art world of Kyoto, insisted on a pate de verre that would be aesthetically pleasing only to Japanese craftspeople. They wanted to complete a ” Japanese pate de verre ” that did not yet exist in the world, but was it really feasible? For seven years, they groped in the dark, side by side with anxiety, but they did not stop their research while earning an income from their work as designers.

Using plaster molds to break out of their predicament

The problem of ” cracking ” was a particular concern during the production process. Another problem was the limited number of shapes that could be produced.

One day, however, they saw a plaster mold being used in the ” kanshitsu” technique of lacquer painting and tried using it instead of clay molds, which allowed them greater flexibility in their production. I saw that plaster molds were used in the “kanshitsu” technique, and I decided to use them instead of clay prototypes, which gave me more freedom in my production. The Ishida’s goal of creating a pate de verre filled with the essence of Japanese craftsmanship was quickly approached.

What the Ishidas created was a delicately crafted pate de verre in bright white. Until then, pate de verre was mainly dark-colored, heavy figurines and vessels typical of the Art Nouveau period, but works such as “Cleo de Merode” (owned by the Kitazawa Museum of Art) by Belgian-born glass artist Georges Deprez, which was well received in Paris from around 1900, are representative examples. Works such as “Cleo de Mérode” (owned by the Kitazawa Museum of Art) by Belgian-born glass artist Georges Deprez are representative examples. The fragile colors and textures of Mr. and Mrs. Ishida’s works, reminiscent of the amber sugar used in Japanese confectionery, and their appearance as if they themselves emit a faint glow, as well as the delicate patterns applied by the hand of kimono designers, have brought entirely new possibilities to the world of pate de verre.

In 2000, Wataru’s “White Pate de verre” won the Incentive Award of the Japan Crafts Association at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. In 2009, Wataru was recognized as a Kyoto Prefecture-designated holder of Intangible Cultural Assets, and the name ” cast glass” was given to his “Japanese part de verre. This was the moment when the research that the couple had begun together was engraved in history as a genre of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.

It took three months to complete the work. The work continues to require precision and concentration.

Pate de verre is completed through a number of processes. First, a prototype is made from plaster or clay, over which refractory plaster is applied to create the outer and inner molds. After carving a pattern on the outer mold and inserting colored glass powder into the carved grooves, the mold is filled with glass powder kneaded with glue and fired in an electric furnace. The firing temperature is about 800°C, which is lower than the firing temperature of blown glass, known as “hot work. The temperature is adjusted by opening the electric furnace when the firing temperature reaches 800 to 900°C so that the hot molten glass is spread to all areas between the outer and inner molds. On the other hand, if the firing temperature is too low, the glass will not melt, so delicate adjustments are necessary.

After three hours of firing, the plaster is allowed to cool slowly for three days to a week. The reason it takes this long is that refractory plaster and glass shrink at different rates. Rapid cooling deforms the plaster, and this distortion exerts force on the glass inside, resulting in the glass inside being distorted or broken. Therefore, it is necessary to cool it slowly. Although the process of slow cooling is now computer-controlled, this is still a very difficult point in the production of pate de verre.

The plaster mold is then broken, taking great care not to damage the glass inside, and the glass removed is polished and finished. It takes about three months to complete the entire process. The large number of steps and the time and effort required for each step are the characteristics of Pate de verre.

Tomofumi says, “It is necessary to imagine and calculate every detail of the finished product, including size and volume, to determine what kind of work you want it to be. This is because it is not possible to make modifications during the process. That is why he has to concentrate on each task, and the maximum working time is seven hours a day.

It was only after traveling around the world that I came to appreciate Japanese craftsmanship.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ishida, pioneers of Japanese pate de verre, Tomofumi studied at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute after graduating from high school, and then spent the next two years traveling around Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and New York while devoting himself to art research. This period was also a time for him to explore his own position in the world.

After visiting various parts of the world and experiencing the objects made by different peoples, Chishi once again became aware of the beauty of Japanese crafts andthe magnitude of what his parents were doing. To this day, Tomofumi continues to add new essences to the genre of “Japanese pate de verre” that his parents established, aiming for further evolution.

Exotic,” “nature,” and “form. Evolving the inherited technique with his own themes.

While inheriting the delicate Japanese essence of Wataru’s and Seiki’s work, Tomofumi’s creations also have an oriental element in the use of colors, patterns, and forms. Chishi’s works are also inspired by nature, and his mastery of the different nuances of blue is also evident.

The “Pate de verre line engraved bowl ‘Kaze wo Kiku,'” which won the Asahi Shimbun Award at the 2003 Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, is one of the pieces that truly showcases his unique taste. This work was also highly praised for its success in producing a platter using an open piece mold, which requires more precise temperature control, rather than the press molds used by Wataru and Seiki.

My parents, who designed patterns for Nishijin textile belts and kimonos, focused mainly on patterns, but I have taken the opposite approach, thinking of patterns first of all in terms of form, ” says Tomofumi. By daring to explore his own style in an area that his parents have not yet tried, he is exploring the possibilities of Japanese pate de verre.

Japanese Pate de verre techniques that transcend oceans

In 2006, Tomofumi finally took up the challenge of making lids, which had been his parents’ forte, with his “Pate de verre Senkoku Mon Hako” (line engraving box), which won the Japan Crafts Association President’s Award attheJapanTraditional Crafts Exhibition. Chishi says that this piece best expresses the beauty of craftsmanship in which form and design come together, but at the same time, it is a piece in which he was able to realize his own unique style while following the style of his parents.

What can I do as an inheritor of the Japanese part de verre? The answer to this question, which Tomofumi has been searching for, seems to have come from “overseas.

In August 2022, Chishi was invited by the International Festival of Glass, a British glass organization, to give workshops and slide lectures at universities and other institutions to teach the technique of pate de verre.

The world’s oldest glass-making technique has been reconstructed as a Japanese craft genre after a long time, and has once again crossed the ocean to impress local people.

A couple who believed in the potential of Japanese crafts created the Japanese pate de verre. Tomofumi is now trying to convey this aesthetic to the world.

The post Also known as “cast glass. Part de verre by Tomofumi Ishida with Kyoto’s aesthetic sense/Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kiyomizu-yaki, Kyoto’s representative pottery, may remind many people of Japanese-style dishes with gorgeous painted decoration. The ceramic artist Kiyomizu Daisuke creates pottery that is far from such an image and is supported by young consumers and professional chefs.

Craftsmen working in his studio can be seen. TOKINOHA Ceramic Studio in Kiyomizuyaki Danchi, Kyoto

The Kiyomizuyaki Industrial Park in Yamashina-ku, located in the eastern part of Kyoto City and bordering Shiga Prefecture, is an industrial park developed in the 1960s and is lined with ceramic artists’ stores, studios, and stores selling materials. In one corner is TOKINOHA Ceramic Studio, run by Mr. Shimizu and his ceramist wife, Tomoe.

The store in front of you as soon as you enter is their brand TOKINOHA. The shop offers a wide variety of pottery in a space where visitors can choose pottery while watching craftsmen at work in the studio through a glass window.

The simple shapes and colors make you want to keep them by your side every day. Yet, they are stylish enough to lift the spirits of those who use them. However, they may not be what you would call “Kyoto-like” tableware. In fact, some of my competitors have said to me, ‘This is not Kiyomizu-yaki,'” says Shimizu.

What are the Characteristics of Kiyomizuyaki?

In fact, however, there are no rules regarding the materials and techniques used in Kiyomizuyaki. Kiyomizuyaki is a type of pottery that originated in the Azuchi-Momoyama to early Edo periods, when the tea ceremony was popular, and artisans from all over Japan were called to the capital of Kyoto to make vessels using techniques from various regions in response to requests from the authorities and cultural figures of the time. Therefore, Kiyomizuyaki is filled with the essence of the whole country, and people are free to choose how they want to use it.

He says, “With the spirit of creating something from here, we search for clay from all over the country and bake the best products. Perhaps that spirit is what Kiyomizuyaki is all about. I hope to tell people through my work that there is such a thing as Kiyomizuyaki,” says Mr. Shimizu.

How did Mr. Shimizu arrive at his current style?

The concept of “Kiyomizuyaki for the appreciation of life,” a concept that has undergone numerous changes

Mr. Shimizu was born in an area called Iwakura, south of Sakyo-ku, which occupies the northeastern part of Kyoto City from north to south. He was born and raised in a family of potters: his great-grandfather was Rokubei Shimizu V, a Kiyomizu-yaki potter who has been a master since the mid-Edo period, and his father, Hisashi Shimizu, is also a potter. His father, Hisashi Shimizu, was also a potter. After graduating from high school, however, he entered the Department of Environmental Design at Kyoto Prefectural University and majored in architecture. At that time, he did not envision a future as a ceramic artist at all.

The change came while he was still a student at the university. He chose the field of architecture because of his love of making things, but as he studied, he became aware of the many restrictions. At that time, he saw Hisashi devote himself to creating ceramics and thought, “My father is doing interesting things,” and decided to pursue ceramics as a career himself. After graduating from college, he studied ceramics at the Kyoto Prefectural College of Ceramic Technology, and after completing his studies, he became an apprentice to Yuichi Inokai, apotter who was a member of the Japan Crafts Association and had won numerous awards at domestic craft exhibitions. Here, however, Shimizu ran into a wall.

The pottery he had made to “win” did not stick. The days of no response from customers were hard.

At the time, Mr. Shimizu was working to exhibit his work in exhibitions, and he was desperate to create works that would leave a lasting impression and not be outdone by other exhibitors. He was desperate to create works that would be as impressive as those of the other exhibitors.

Tokinoha Ceramics was located in the city center, and people who happened to pass by often took a peek inside. However, many of these people would look at the whole place vaguely, and then simply walk out.

This ” non-response” was hard on Shimizu. As he repeated this experience, he began to feel that something was different about his previous works.

A simple vessel, stripped of individuality, is the result.

Shimizu began to actively listen to the comments of customers and friends from other industries who told him what they thought of his work.

They said, “It is interesting as a work of art, but it is not suitable for daily use.

If this part were a little different, it would be easier to use.

Shimizu’s goal was to create vessels that people of his own generation would want to use. He began to use a variety of techniques and to eliminate the decorations.

Around that time, Shimizu stopped exhibiting his work at exhibitions. He also settled on the brand concept of ” vessels that accompany people in their daily lives.

He says, “Even if I could create a piece that stood out in a group exhibition and win, it would be meaningless if people did not use it. Rather than trying to win with a single piece, I wanted people to feel something when they saw a “group” of my work. When I realized how to do that, I felt as if I had a breakthrough.

Because you can’t cheat on the number of pieces, it’s the plain dishes that are the hardest to make.

Around this time, Mr. and Mrs. Shimizu moved their base of operations to Kiyomizuyaki Danchi and changed their brand name from ” TOKINOHA Tobo” to ” TOKINOHA. It was 2011 when they began to operate their studio and store under the same name.

The characteristic of TOKINOHA’s pottery, says Shimizu, is ” simple forms that at first glance appear to be nothing. For example, he says, it is difficult for a potter to create a simple form like a plain plate.

Researching glazes to create a wide variety of colors and designs

Shimizu has also been experimenting with glazes since his days at Tokinoha Tobo, creating vessels in a variety of colors.

One of his popular series is ” copper” using copper glaze. The blue color is particularly popular, and even Western chefs, who normally do not like blue dishes because it is said to be a color that reduces appetite, choose blue dishes, saying, “This blue dish can be used. This episode is typical of TOKINOHA, which is devoted to “subtractive” design and has worked to create dishes that complement the food.

To respond to the feelings of those who use it. Launching the “SOU-SIRO” brand exclusively for chefs

TOKINOHA’s tableware is known for being supported by professional chefs.

When Mr. Shimizu started working on simple tableware, TOKINOHA’s tableware caught the eye of a chef, who ordered a complete set of tableware for his restaurant. Another chef saw this and placed an order for TOKINOHA, and soon the orders began to flow in one after another. Shimizu’s willingness to make fine adjustments while incorporating the opinions of the chefs and people around him in order to meet the needs of the users led to trust and a reputation for his work.

Mr. Shimizu also learned a lot from his relationships with chefs.

He has learned how to be attentive to trends and how to incorporate them into his recipes, how to observe customers and find solutions to problems, and how to think about how to incorporate those solutions into a dish. He was inspired by the high level of mindset of the chefs.

Furthermore, as he worked more and more with the chefs, he also became aware of some things.

For example, what each customer requires in terms of the size, shape, texture, and ease of handling of the dishes, etc., varies widely, and there is no standard that all chefs can agree on. Therefore, in 2017, TOKINOHA launched “SOU-SIRO,” a brand dedicated to chefs that specializes in custom-made products, separately from TOKINOHA. Through this business, Shimizu’s involvement with even more chefs has deepened and broadened his awareness of the issues he faces as a business owner.

Making a Pottery Artist a “Sustainable Job

In fact, there was something that had stuck with Mr. Shimizu since his days at pottery school. There were few heirs among his classmates, and many of them were beginners in the ceramic arts.

There was a time when about 80% of the students were heirs. However, nowadays, more and more people do not choose to become potters because they see their parents’ hardships. On the other hand, those who enter the school are those who do not know such backgrounds. As a result, he has seen many people become stuck after becoming potters.

They can learn pottery techniques at school, but they rarely have the opportunity to learn how to make a living,” he said. That is why I want to focus my efforts on making ceramics a proper business, so that people can continue to work in it.

Creating a portal site exclusively for ceramic artists

One of the reasons why it is difficult for potters to make a living is the problem of ” distribution. Shimizu’s thoughts were reinforced when real stores closed and many potters lost their sales channels due to lifestyle changes that occurred after 2019.

In October 2019, hoping to help solve the problem, Shimizu launched “Soho,” a portal site for ceramic artists, and also worked on branding advice. He believed that if potters could develop the ability to sell their work on their own, without going through distribution, it would help revitalize the industry. Having felt that these activities had achieved a certain level of success, the “Soho” service was terminated at the end of November, 2022.

In order to promote the appeal of Kiyomizuyaki throughout Japan and to the world. Changes in the Way the Pottery Market is Held

It has been 11 years since TOKINOHA moved to the Kiyomizuyaki complex. When TOKINOHA first moved to the new location, even Mr. Shimizu, who was born in Kyoto, felt a sense of being away from home.

However, there have been changes as he continues to struggle as a member of the Kiyomizuyaki complex.

In October 2022, the “Kiyomizuyaki no Sato Festival” was held for the first time in three years, and at the suggestion of Mr. Shimizu, several changes were made to the way thepottery marketwas run. The first was to start from scratch every year to broaden the scope of new exhibitors. The second was to restrict exhibitors to those involved in the Kyoto and Kiyomizuyaki ceramic industry by prohibiting those from other prefectures from exhibiting at the festival.

This would not only give more people involved in pottery production in Kyoto a chance to exhibit, but would also establish the identity of Kiyomizuyaki and appeal to the whole country and the world. The festival also aimed to avoid the situation where visitors to the festival bought pottery they thought was Kiyomizu-yaki, only to find out that it was made in another prefecture. In November 2022, the TOKINOHA tag line will be renewed, and the concept will be changed to “Kiyomizuyaki for the appreciation of life. Mr. Shimizu’s own brand concept has also returned to the keyword “Kiyomizuyaki.

Even those who once said, “This is not Kiyomizuyaki,” have come to trust Mr. Shimizu, who spares no effort or ideas to revitalize the Kiyomizuyaki industry.

He says, “We have been challenged and nurtured here, and that is why we are here today. That’s why we are here today.

Mr. Shimizu’s sincere attitude will no doubt continue to update the Kiyomizu-yaki industry and the ceramic world.

The post Kiyomizuyaki like this. Daisuke Shimizu of Kiyomizuyaki “TOKINOHA” for tasting life / Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Putting the Spirit of Hospitality into Kaiseki Cuisine

It is said that the name “Kiccho” was invented by Mr. Suma Taisui, a town painter, when he opened a restaurant in Shinmachi, Osaka. On the day of Tokaebisu (October Ebisu) at Imamiya Shrine in Naniwa, the vendors call out “Kicchou, Kicchou. Kitcho-basa,” decorated with sea breams, small gold coins, rice bales, and other ornaments, is believed to bring good fortune to prosperous business, and the shrine was crowded with people seeking these decorated bamboos. The name “Kitcho Sasa” comes from the call of the people who used to come to the restaurant to buy them.
Arashiyama Kitcho, the leader of Kyoto Kitcho, has preserved and developed the essence of kaiseki cuisine. Kaiseki cuisine has a fixed flow and has been systematized following the culture and ideas of the tea ceremony. However, with the passage of time, the “form of hospitality” for diners has also undergone changes.

Kyoto’s Kaiseki Cuisine Spreads Around the World

The ability to receive a three-star rating in the Michelin Guide Kyoto-Osaka 2021

One of the highlights of kaiseki cuisine is the “hakusun” dish, which is not limited to the traditional balanced arrangement of two or three dishes from the sea and mountains, but is also accompanied by several delicacies and sweet dishes that go well with sake. Furthermore, he incorporates a play on the seasons, and in each dish of the auspiciously arranged “hakusun” (eight-sided dish), he conveys a message that can be felt through all five senses. His inquisitiveness and creativity in cooking are said to be so great that he receives requests for training from overseas chefs as well.
At the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit held in 2008, a dinner was held at the sister restaurant “Arashiyama Kitcho,” located in the Windsor Hotel Toya, where guests stayed. This is the stage where the world’s dignitaries are entertained and Japanese culture is promoted. The “real pleasure” of representing Japan can be found at “Kyoto Arashiyama Kitcho”.

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“Tempura Matsu” Renowned Restaurant Where you can Feel the Seasons of Arashiyama “Regular Classic” Convinces Gourmets Katsura river flows at the foot of Arashiyama Kyoto. On the right hand shore near Matsuo bridge is the renown ”Tempura M…

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In confectionery making, it is believed that if ingredients are added to sugar, it will not harden.
Until now, kompeito sugar has only been available in sugar flavors, even though it is colorful and beautiful.
However, after much research, Midori-juan Shimizu overturned this conventional wisdom and succeeded in creating kompeito with a variety of flavors.
Today, the company produces and sells approximately 90 varieties of kompeito.

The immensely popular kompeito of Midorokujuan Shimizu

It is said that kompeito came to Japan in 1549 during the Warring States period. It is said to have been one of the Nanban confections, along with sponge cakes, that were introduced to Japan, and was especially beautiful and very popular among the Nanban confections. However, it is said that the manufacturing process of kompeito was not introduced to Japan, and it was not until the Edo period (1603-1867) that kompeito was produced and became known among the general populace. The store we visited this time, ” Midori-juan Shimizu, ” is the only store in Japan specializing in kompeito. One of the reasons why this is the only shop in Japan that specializes in kompeito is that making kompeito requires a lot of patience and skill. The core of kompeito is made from finely crushed glutinous rice called ira flour, and sugar is poured over the core and allowed to dry. This simple process must be continued for more than two weeks for each type.

Realizing new flavors and a wide variety of menu items

There is no recipe for making kompeito, and it takes 20 years to master the technique of producing the sugars. The craftsman must constantly watch the kompeito and adjust the speed and angle of the kettle’s rotation, the density of the sugar, and other factors, never leaving his side even for a moment. Furthermore, in confectionery making, it is believed that if ingredients are added to sugar, it will not harden, and until now kompeito sugar has only been colored and sugar flavored. Therefore, even if it looked beautiful, it tasted nothing more than “hardened sugar.

The company now sells about 50 varieties of kompeito, including chocolate, brandy, and plum wine. Kompeito sugar was brought to Japan from the southern barbarians during the Warring States period (1467-1568) and became a luxury confectionery in the Edo period (1603-1868). I wonder how the European market, the original home of kompeito, would view today’s kompeito as a “traditional Japanese confectionery. I am sure they would be surprised to know that they have never seen such a delicious kompeito.

While preserving the tradition that has been handed down from one generation to the next for nearly 200 years since the Edo period, we never forget to challenge ourselves and pursue “kompeito that can be tasted only at Midori-juan Shimizu. We hope you will enjoy the authentic taste, color, and shape!

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Sue-Tomi, Kyoto’s representative long-established Japanese confectionery/Kyoto City, Kyoto … A Japanese confectionery established in Kyoto in 1893. The charm of Kyoto sweets is that they can be enjoyed not only by the sense of taste, but also by the …

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“Fuuka” Perfect Match to the Elegance of Kyoto Store Specializing in Namafu As may be seen from the store name, this store specializes in ”fu”. It has a long history, founded in the end of the Edo period….

The post Kyoto’s kompeito specialty store, Midori-juan Shimizu, continues to carry on the technique passed down from one generation to the next / Kyoto, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.