Maintaining tradition also means constantly looking outward. The Tono region of Gifu Prefecture is a leading area for pottery in Japan. Established in 1804 in Tajimi, Kobeigama has connected its history through innovation.

Driving northeast from Nagoya, the increasingly lush hues of the Seto rural landscape present themselves, crossing the mountain range that marks the border with Gifu. In ancient times, the area was home to a lake, said to be six times the size of Lake Biwa, known as Tokai Lake, spanning Aichi and Gifu. The sediment from this body of water has formed the high-quality clay ideal for pottery in this region. Tajimi lies at its northern tip. The area has thrived as a leading pottery hub for 1,300 years alongside Seto in Aichi Prefecture.

Ryotaro Kato, the eighth generation of Kobeigama located here, speaks of the "entrepreneurial spirit" inherited since the tea master Furuta Oribe, who elevated Mino ware to its current status. In other words, it's an attitude of actively engaging with new things.

"Oribe introduced vibrant colors such as green, orange, and white to the previous dull hues of tea utensils. He also created interesting ceramics by altering shapes, known for their distortion and dynamic forms. It was a presentation aimed at surprising people and delighting them with something new. That spirit is deeply rooted in Mino ware."

Ryotaro's great-grandfather, the fifth generation of Kobeigama, established the foundation for the current kiln's character by employing techniques from Chinese ceramics such as celadon, Tenmoku, underglaze, red painting, and Kinrande. Ryotaro's grandfather Takuo, the sixth generation, revived techniques from Persian pottery and Shosoin's three-color ceramics, blending tradition and originality to earn recognition as a Living National Treasure.

His father, the seventh generation of Kobeigama, continued Takuo's Persian pottery techniques, producing works with profound three-dimensional character and contemporary sensibilities. Now, Ryotaro is engaging with the traditional techniques of Mino ware known as Momoyama ceramics and the Noborigama firing method, referred to as "ancestor revival." Noborigama firing is an ancient technique that uses firewood for kiln rather than gas or electricity. Its charm lies in the element of chance in the final result.

"In Noborigama firing, ashes from the burning wood fall and cause changes in the glaze’s color. Thus, colors emerge that cannot be produced by human hands alone, resulting from the whims of the fire deity. It's not guaranteed to always succeed, and there is a gamble aspect, but it creates something that transcends human boundaries."

The traditional main house of Kobeigama stands with thick beams and a white plaster wall surrounded by black tiles. When you move to the back, a Noborigama weaves its way through the sloping garden. Except for the fire-starting moments, it blends quietly into the serene landscape of the tatami-matted Japanese room, but once it starts to breathe fire, it becomes a tunnel connecting to unseen beauty.

Noborigama is an essential element for Ryotaro’s works, but he became captivated by its charm only after leaving home.

Ornate Kyoto & Plain Mino

Thirty years ago, Ryotaro was in Kyoto to attend art university.

"Both my father and grandfather studied in Kyoto when they were young, and they all had experiences of eating outside, so I felt somewhat inclined to do the same. I might have had options like Tokyo, but Kyoto is a town that has accumulated not only ceramics, but also culture and fine arts," he reflects on that time.

He entered the ceramics department but at that time he was only making objects and installations, not tableware. "Until then, tableware was so ubiquitous around me that I found it too close, so I aimed for art," he laughs.

During the first year after returning to Tajimi, he worked for a local tile manufacturer. The site of mass-produced tiles, which are building materials manufactured mechanically, had a completely different approach to craftsmanship even though they are also ceramics. After joining Kobeigama, he was involved in various roles, including starting the adjacent Ichinokura Sakazuki Art Museum. Having returned to Tajimi after living in Kyoto, he gained a new perspective on Mino ware through outings from home and exploring outside Tajimi.

"Kyoto's ceramics embody a culture of decoration. As clay is not sourced from that area, we visualize the final form rather than showing the material, and we build towards that. Mino is rich in clay. Therefore, we start with selecting the clay, forming, and considering how to 'cook' the glaze and clay. I realized that the process was the opposite of what I learned in Kyoto."

The contours of the place where he was born and raised, which he had not noticed for being too close, came into clear view once he distanced himself.

"I became aware of its charm. Since my father sometimes fired pottery in a noborigama, I gradually started putting my creations in there, repeating experiments."

The efforts to produce the eighth generation's ceramics began.

Ryotaro's fascination with Momoyama ceramics might seem less innovative compared to earlier generations who incorporated external influences into Mino ware. However, this is merely a milestone of "Shu-ha-ri" (守・破・離, or the concept of "follow (the rules), break (the rules), transcend (the rules)") in his life.

"Now, I am 50 years old. Until my 40s, I had a strong desire to firmly establish the basic aspects, which the 'follow' stage. From now on, I will break away from that. I think there will eventually come a phase where I will distance myself from it, but since around last year, I’ve started considering moving forward with a lighter, more liberated approach."

The question of how to break away arises the notion of Oribe philosophy.

"Rather than fusing adjacent elements, clashing opposites or distant elements yields greater impact and more interesting results. Collaborations between traditional and modern, foreign and Japanese, or different materials exist, but in my case, it involved calligraphy and ceramics, or my past self in Kyoto versus my current self. These combinations give rise to new branches and leaves."

Calligraphy has been a complex issue for Ryotaro. He practiced calligraphy since elementary school, but even when signing his name, he did not feel a sense of identity with his writing. To overcome this struggle, he studied under the calligrapher Kyoyo Ishikawa during his graduate school years. He wrote persistently.

"That was 28 years ago. Unlike ceramics, calligraphy has a stoic aspect that requires dedicated practice, so I cherish it as a different form of expression. When I’m just making tea bowls, I inevitably get bored. Therefore, I swing myself around with calligraphy or creating objects. This way I can avoid falling into a slump, and ultimately, these forms of expression come back into my tea bowl making."

Connecting to the Future

The Momoyama ceramics Ryotaro is working on originated from the "Momoyama Revival" initiated by Toyozo Arakawa and other artists in the early Showa period. The excellent works created through this return to classical styles formed one current in contemporary Mino ware. However, as generations pass, the revival of classics risks becoming mere imitations, losing their appeal.

"Simple replication won’t hold. If we can’t create beautiful pieces that modern people find attractive by incorporating contemporary elements, we will eventually face natural selection. I am keenly aware of the responsibility to exist with this in mind."

What is necessary to introduce new elements into tradition? It is "Shin-gyo-so" (真・行・草, or the concept of "formal, semiformal, informal").

"The ‘formal’ part in tea bowls represents the monochromatic world of Shino and Setoguro ceramics. The ‘semiformal’ and ‘informal’ refer to the various colored glazes such as Oribe and cobalt blue, which evoke images of mountains. Naturally, to elevate oneself, you must build upon the ‘formal’ aspect, but to avoid toppling, you must solidify the surroundings. Thus, ‘semiformal’ and ‘informal’ serve as the base, expanding variation. Right now, I feel as though I’m doing both simultaneously."

What is the position of Kobeigama?

"We have been practicing pottery for generations, and while our techniques and styles have evolved, each generation has created its own world. Therefore, how we pass this on to the next generation is free, but I believe we must continue to exist in some form as one of the foundations of Mino ware."

Ryotaro himself has aspirations for overseas opportunities. He is scheduled to hold a solo exhibition in Paris in October 2025.

"While I still have the energy, I want to travel abroad as much as possible. The extent of my activities over the next ten years will determine the level of refinement that follows. I create teacups as my life’s work. France, in particular, has a high level of understanding of Japanese culture. It's my wish to bring teacups along with the tea ceremony to such places."

At the end of the interview, just as I finished the tea they served me and our appointment time was approaching, I asked the usual question: "What is the happiest moment for you as a potter?" Ryotaro smiled and laughed.

"I guess it's when I take the pieces out of the kiln. Of course, I give it my all, but I can't know how they turn out until I open it. When I retrieve the work amidst mixed expectations and anxieties, if something emerges that exceeds expectations, I feel as though it’s no longer my own creation, despite having made it. There’s a joy in witnessing beauty being born, like cradling my own child. The first time I see beauty sends shivers down my spine."

The temperature was still low in Tajimi during January, but it was pleasantly sunny.