A conversation with Kosai Miyagawa
This time, we visited Miyagawa Kosai's Makuzu and spoke to him.
[Miyagawa] → Mr. Miyagawa Kosai
[Nishimura] → Nishimura Ichimai (Owner of amakido)
[Nishimura] Thank you for joining us today. I would like to ask how you make your works. Do you use Shigaraki clay for these? 
[Miyagawa] Yes, we use clay from Shigaraki in Shiga Prefecture. Nonomura Ninsei also used Shigaraki clay when making Kyo-yaki. He also has his own water jar. Chozo, the first head of Makuzu, was a master of copying Ninsei's work. We also use glazes made from straw ash. Using Shigaraki clay is rare, and it is not often used in other Kyo-yaki, so it feels special.
[Nishimura] Are there any characteristics of Shigaraki soil?
[Miyagawa] The scarlet clay is different from others. Shigaraki clay contains fine sand and has a rough texture. It is not very sticky, so it is difficult to make because the edges of the pottery tend to tear when making pottery.
[Nishimura] The hilltop part was particularly impressive. I thought it was a work with a nice atmosphere and many highlights. I'm also interested in the technique of copying. For example, what does the word "copy" used by Kenzan and Ninsei mean in the first place? 
[Miyagawa] "Copying" refers to creating something by referring to an original technique or style. Painting on top of the glaze is called "Ninsei copy," while applying a technique under the glaze is called "Kenzan copy." The technical aspect is important, but it's also important to express your own feelings through your work.
[Nishimura] I see. The word "copy" doesn't simply mean a copy or replica.
[Miyagawa] That's right. Copying does not necessarily mean imitating, but expressing something in a new way while paying respect to the original.
[Nishimura] For example, tea bowls with Christmas designs are also made to imitate Kenzan's work. That's an interesting idea.
[Miyagawa] Yes, that's right. I make my tea while thinking about what kind of tea bowls Kenzan would have made if he were alive today.
[Nishimura] The floral cloisonné design gives the impression of Kyoto ware. It looks like a typical Kyoto ware style.
[Miyagawa] This design is a traditional cloisonné pattern, but I came up with the layout myself.
[Nishimura] Are you free to incorporate new designs? Are there any rules?
[Miyagawa] There are no specific written rules, but I feel that through years of experience, I have naturally acquired a sense of what needs to be followed.
[Nishimura] Were you surrounded by artisan environments from an early age?
[Miyagawa] Yes, the studio was a part of my daily life. I wasn't particularly interested in it, but I just naturally found myself in that environment.
[Nishimura] Have you been using a potter's wheel since you were a child?
[Miyagawa] No, I didn't start working with soil seriously until I entered university.
[Nishimura] Did you study abroad during university?
[Miyagawa] Yes, I studied sculpture and modeling in the U.S. After graduating from university, I spent a year in Hagi training in glazes.
[Nishimura] How have you used the experiences you gained studying abroad in your work?
[Miyagawa] In American pottery, there is a lot of freedom, and if the color of the glaze doesn't turn out as expected, they sometimes paint it. However, I disagree with that. Pottery is something that values technique, so for me it is important to be faithful to the technique.
[Nishimura] It's not that it's a bad example, but I felt it would be better to avoid that direction. By the way, I think you also make hand-made pieces like Raku tea bowls, but how do you make them differently?
[Miyagawa] The way Raku tea bowls are hand-kneaded and the way I hand-knead them are made are completely different.
[Nishimura] What are the differences? 
[Miyagawa] Raku makes tea bowls by hand, but we use thin clay slabs to fit the mold. We attach clay to a plaster hemisphere and then add a foot. If the shape is too strong, it will not match the painting, so we also value the intricacy of the painting. I would love for you to see the painting.
[Nishimura] Designs with a clean cut at the top, like Koetsu's tea bowls, are also cool.
[Miyagawa] That's true, but the painting doesn't stand out in that shape.
[Miyagawa] I always keep this in mind when making Raku tea bowls. There is another shape that is tightened in the same way, but I really like this shape. 
[Nishimura] What is the difficulty with this shape?
[Miyagawa] The shape of the inside and outside are different.
[Nishimura] I never noticed the difference while using it.
[Miyagawa] It is said that a good tea bowl is one that is wider on the inside than it looks from the outside. A good tea bowl is one that has the "depth" of tea. It looks compact from the outside, but because the clay on the inside is thin, it feels wider on the inside. If you leave a little more clay around the rim and make the waist thinner, it feels lighter when you hold it. Tableware has a consistent thickness overall, but the thickness of a tea bowl varies from part to part. 
[Nishimura] It looks simple, but there are actually some surprising differences.
[Miyagawa] Yes. When I make Kyo-yaki tea bowls, I am conscious of Ninsei's techniques. This is exactly a "Ninsei copy," but the important thing is how to present it in the present day.
[Nishimura] I've heard that there are two types of incense: dried incense and kneaded incense, right?
[Miyagawa] Yes, in the tea ceremony, we use incense containers to hold incense paste. Nowadays, there are many overseas collectors. A man named Giorgio Clemerson was a major collector of Japanese incense containers.
[Nishimura] They are appreciated for their aesthetic appearance. There are even members of the imperial family who are netsuke collectors.
[Miyagawa] Yes, detailed painting takes time.
[Nishimura] Are the works created simultaneously?
[Miyagawa] Yes. I usually make both at the same time. I make the incense holders using molds, but I also use old molds and repair ones from the Edo period.
[Nishimura] What does it mean to repair a mold?
[Miyagawa] The corners of wooden molds become rounded, so they need to be repaired regularly.
[Nishimura] In the old days, there was no plaster, so people made molds out of unglazed earth or clay.
[Miyagawa] That's right. The appeal of our incense holders is how thin they are. It makes them look elegant, and they feel light when you pick them up.
[Nishimura] This may be a bit harsh to put, but what is the yield (volume)?
[Miyagawa] About half.
[Nishimura] That sounds like a pretty strict quality standard. What is the most difficult part? 
[Miyagawa] For example, once bisque firing is done, it can no longer be returned to clay, so if the shape is not good before bisque firing, we return it to clay. Also, cracks may appear during bisque firing or final firing, the color of the glaze may not come out well, or there may be a problem with the condition of the clay. Our greatest feature is the "straw ash glaze," which is made from feldspar and is a Hagi ware tradition that has been going for over 200 years, characterized by its bluish-white color.
[Nishimura] Do you apply the straw ash glaze thickly?
[Miyagawa] This glaze shrinks. If the blue is too strong, it looks inferior, so if the piece has a high iron content, we remove the iron with a magnet before applying the glaze, a process called "iron removal." We remove the layer of glaze to remove the iron. The amount of iron varies depending on the field, so we remove it to keep the standard consistent.
[Nishimura] While respecting techniques and traditions, you are also taking on new challenges.
[Miyagawa] I believe that by trying new things, they will become new traditions.
[Nishimura] It's true that Kyoto is a place that likes to try new things.
[Miyakawa] The key to this challenge is how far we can innovate without destroying tradition.
