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Myousentoubou

Myousentoubou

Kiln of the Imperial Household Agency's Warrant

Inheriting a Traditional Technique that Has Continued for 400 Years and Producing Elegant Vessels
The traditional technique of "katauchi" is disappearing with the advance of mechanization. Myosen Tobo, which has inherited this technique by hand, can be said to be a rare entity today. Myosen's vessels made by katauchi are surprisingly light and have a beautiful, well-proportioned shape. The high quality of their work is highly regarded by professionals in the field, and they also produce tableware for the Imperial Palace and many other royal households.

What is the Katauchi technique, a rare technique inherited from Myosen Tobo?

The katauchi technique is a technique of placing a piece of pottery formed by ro-ro on a mold, copying the pattern and shape of the mold, and creating the base of the piece. In rokuro, it is necessary to draw the mold with a uniform thickness. If the thickness is uneven, the piece will crack or break when fired. In addition to the difficulty of drawing the pieces with a uniform thickness, Myosen Tobo maintains a uniform thickness while drawing the pieces as thin as possible. The mold with the base material is turned over and placed on the potter's wheel. As the wheel rotates, the clay is pressed against the mold. Again, the force must be constant so that the thickness is uniform. Delicate hand work. Next, the pattern of the mold is traced with a brush. Because the base material is thin, the amount of force is even more important. If the tracing force is not consistent, the thickness will be uneven, causing warping and cracking. The edge is cut to fit the mold. The edges are cut to fit the mold, creating a graceful edge. Finally, the base is finished by shaving. Finally, a single piece of base is completed.Kokuzo Kiln was founded in 1997. Kokuzo Kiln is one of the few kilns in the kutaniyaki industry that handles all production processes in-house, from molding the clay to painting and kiln firing. In addition, the kiln produces mainly earthenware, which is rare in Kutaniyaki. Kokuzo kiln's pottery has the texture and warmth of earthenware, the taste of hand-painted pottery, and is comfortable to use. However, the originality of their shapes and designs make their Kutani ware stand out from the crowd.

The appeal of the katauchi technique is its productivity and quality.

If you have the molds and techniques for the katauchi technique, you can make many vessels of the same shape, thickness, and size, but not as many as you can with a machine. On the other hand, the katauchi technique can produce vessels of thicknesses and shapes that cannot be produced by machines. Fine and complex shapes are difficult to make by machine.
However, katauchi is a craft. With just the right amount of force, a high-quality vessel can be formed from a complexly shaped mold. This is why we insist on the katauchi technique and why it is so attractive.

History of Myosen Pottery

1975: Establishment of Myosen Pottery
1990: Commissioned by the Imperial Household Agency to produce vessels bearing the coat of arms of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and seven sets of tableware for the "Feast Ceremony" of the Enthronement Ceremony.
1991: Produced Imperial Crest vessels for the coronation of Crown Prince Tokuhito / Supplied eleven pieces of Japanese tableware for the "Feast Ceremony" of the Imperial Household Agency.
1992: Produced confectionery for the wedding ceremony of His Imperial Highness Prince Mako of the Akishino family.
1993: Hors d'oeuvre plates for use in the "Feast Ceremony" for the wedding of Crown Prince Masako/Honorable Princess Masako of the Crown Prince's family: vessels bearing their Imperial Crest.
1995: Produced confectionery for the wedding ceremony of Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako of Akishino.
2000: At the request of the Government of Japan, we produced a white porcelain gold brocade plate for the International Bureau of Weights and Measures to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Metre Convention.
2007: Produced confectionery for the private celebrations of Her Imperial Highness Princess Yuhito of the Akishino family.
Received the 2010 Ishikawa Design Grand Prize.
2013: Commissioned by the Imperial Household Agency to produce a bonsai bowl in the shape of an old mirror.
2014: Appointed Chairman of the Kutaniyaki Traditional Craftsmen's Association
2016: Appointed Chairman of Kaga Kutani Ceramic Cooperative Association / Awarded Commendation for Meritorious Service by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
2017 The 20th Japan Traditional Craftsmen's Association Works Exhibition, Highest Award, Chairman of the House of Representatives Award / The 2009 National Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Highest Award, Prime Minister's Award
2018: Awarded the 2nd Mitsui Golden Artisan Prize
2019: Commissioned by the Imperial Household Agency to produce vessels bearing the crests of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan 2038
2020: Produced vessels for the Shinto rituals of Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino
2021: Appointed Vice President of the Japan Traditional Craftsmen's Association

Thoughts and perseverance in forming

Kokuzo Kiln sells handmade products. So I don't want to make something that can be made with a mold. We make vessels that can only be expressed by hand, such as rocro and tatara molding.
Maximizing the power of integrated production!
In the kutaniyaki industry, there are many places that divide the work of making clay and painting into separate processes, but at Kokuzo Kiln, both clay and painting are made by the company itself, making it an integrated production system. The kiln also produces its own clay base. The base is the vessel before the painting is applied. Painting and firing are also done in-house. All the work is done in-house.

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