[Pottery studio: Koshun Touen] Aiming to be an open studio

A little east from Kyoto Station, up the hill, you will come to the town of Imakumano, lined with old roof tiles.

When walking around here, you can sometimes smell the smell of earth in the wind.

There are many old-fashioned Shimizu ware kilns remaining in this area.

The breath of artisans blends quietly into the quiet residential area.

In one corner of this area is Koshun Touen, the shop we spoke to this time.

The workshop is built alongside a row of old houses, and from the outside it has such a modest appearance that it is hard to imagine what kind of pottery is being created here.

When you open the door, you are greeted by the scent of clay and glaze, as well as the sound of the potter's wheel motor.

It's as if time has rewound just a little with the opening of a door.

The representative, Shinichi Takashima, is the third generation owner of this workshop.

We learned that they moved to this area about 80 years ago, and the prototype of the current building was completed about 60 years ago.

He explained that the workshop has been developed over the years by successive generations of craftsmen, who have made small improvements to the pieces to adapt to the times.

The space, where the past and present seemed to breathe the same air, warmly welcomed us.

*A corner of the workshop

The first time I met Mr. Takashima was when I asked him to produce a product for our company.

It was meant to be a meeting, but before I knew it, we had been talking for about two hours.

From talks about pottery to everyday life, and even what it means to create something.

I was completely captivated by his cheerful and witty way of speaking.

Strangely enough, even though it was our first meeting, I remember feeling a sense of familiarity, as if we had known each other for a long time.

Perhaps it was the warm atmosphere of the workshop and Takashima's personality that made me feel this way.

"I'm aiming for an open workshop."

There was a clear message in his cheerful tone.

The calm atmosphere in the workshop that welcomed us seemed to confirm the meaning of those words.

In recent years, the word "craftsman" has tended to sound like something distant and special.

However, Takashima says:

"Ceramics certainly require skill, but it's not something special. Anyone can get started if they have the desire to touch clay and make pottery."

We want to be an open workshop.

It is also an expression of the desire to let more people know what it is like to be a craftsman and the joy of making things.

As Takashima shared her thoughts with us, we could see an unwavering determination behind her usual bright smile.

*Takashima applying the glaze

A small flame is burning once again today in the town of Kumano.

The flame will be passed on to the next generation.