Arakawa Toyozo

Arakawa Toyozō ( Japanese 荒川豊藏 ; born 21st March 1894 in Tajimi ( Gifu Prefecture ); died 11. August 1985 ) was a Japanese pottery.

Live and act

Arakawa Toyozō began to study painting in Kyoto, but decided in 1922 under Miyanaga Tōzan (宮 永 東山; 1868-1941) to learn the ceramics trade. In 1930 Arakawa was employed by Kitaōji Rosanjin at his Hoshigaoka kiln (星 岡 窯). That same year, Arakawa found the remains of the Mutabora Kiln (牟 田 洞 窯), the largest of the Shino pottery (志 野 焼) kilns, near Ōkaya (大 萱) in Kani County (可 児 郡) in Gifu Prefecture. Other Shino kilns, kilns for Seto (瀬 戸) and Oribe ceramics (織 部 焼) were discovered. This inspired Arakawa to study the style and techniques of these traditional ceramics.

Arakawa built a kiln directly on the remains of the Mutabora kiln and began making water containers for the tea ceremony, with tea bowls and other products with the thick, translucent white glaze typical of Shino ceramics with iron-colored decorations. It was so successful that in 1955 it was classified as a “ Living National Treasure ” and in 1971 was awarded the Order of Culture .

Web links (images)

• Karatsu style tea bowl (唐 津 風 茶碗), date of origin unknown
• Shino tea bowl (志 野 茶碗), 1957
• Karatsu style tea bowl (か ら つ 風 茶碗), 1964

literature

• S. Noma (Ed.): Arakawa Toyozō . In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993. ISBN 4-06-205938-X , p. 46.

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus Arakawa is the family name, Toyozō the first name.