"To create something beautiful: An interview with Shimizu from TOKINOHA"
------First of all, please tell us how you came to want to become a potter.
"My father was into pottery, but I wasn't interested in it at all when I was little.
I discovered the fascination of manufacturing through studying architecture at university.
I began to think that pottery might be interesting too.
After graduating from university, I went to a vocational school for pottery and began my journey as a potter.
------I was surprised to hear that you weren't interested in it when you were younger. Are there any points that you've been particular about in your years of craftsmanship?
"I'm very particular about potter's wheel techniques.
He is particularly particular about the shape, and is particularly particular about the lip (the edge of the vessel).
Shaping the mouth is called "making a mouth," and I make about 10 different types depending on the purpose.
For example, when it comes to sake cups, cold sake tastes better when it's diluted, while hot sake is difficult to drink unless it's a little thick and round.
I believe there is an appropriate place to eat even if it is a plate that you don't put your mouth on.
We create our products by considering the situation and purpose of use and suggesting what type of mouth shape would be best suited.
I have been particular about this point ever since I started doing pottery."
------10 different varieties! Even if you can't tell at a glance, it's these kinds of small details that make TOKINOHA's products so appealing.
-------What do you think is the ideal vessel?
“I like vessels that can be loved for generations.
At first glance, the dish itself may look simple and unremarkable, but it becomes incredibly beautiful once food is served on it.
The ideal vessel is one that is completed when it is used."
------Making the food beautiful. This may be a basic principle when it comes to tableware, but it may also be the most difficult aspect.
-------I hear you are particular about the clay you use to create the ideal vessels.
"When I was young, I was very interested in soil itself. I even went out and dug up soil myself.
Now, based on experience, I know that if I want to express something in a certain way, then this is the best soil.
I choose the soil by working backwards from the finished product. Rather than focusing on the place of origin, I choose the soil by paying attention to the expression that each type of soil is good at.
-------Are there any particular concerns you have about your workshop, just like the clay?
"There are many things I care about, but the most important thing is to keep it clean.
Clean means being tidy and always beautiful.
I believe that beautiful things can only come from beautiful places.
We use a variety of clays, but each clay has its own compatibility and there are some clays that should not be mixed together.
Even a small amount of mixing can have a big impact on the finished product, so you can't work with confidence unless you keep it in a clean state at all times.
It may be surprising, but cleaning every day broadens the scope of our expression."
------Beautiful things can only come from beautiful places. I think I understand why all of TOKINOHA's products are so beautiful.
-------You have worked on a wide range of products, but where does your creative inspiration come from?
"It's a matter of intuition, but if I ask about the size and purpose, I can somehow figure out the optimal solution.
I think we have probably come to understand this from our accumulated knowledge and experience.
I didn't understand it when I was younger, but as I did more and more, I gradually began to understand .
I feel like I've found the optimum solution after trying out many different expressions."
-------I know it's a little late, but may I ask about the origin of the name TOKINOHA?
"My wife is also an artist, and the first studio we set up after we got married was in the north of Kyoto.
The workshop's address contains the kanji characters for "purple" and "peach," which are reminiscent of the color of the Japanese crested ibis's feathers.
The inside of a crested ibis's feathers is a purplish pink color, which is apparently called toki color or tokinoha color, and we thought it was a fitting name for our species.
Now my workshop has moved to another location, but I like the name and still use it today."
------I see, I thought it was a lovely name, but that's the story behind it.
The second half will be released tomorrow.
Writer Kosuke Nakakubo
