A conversation with Michihachi Takahashi

This time, we had the opportunity to speak with Takahashi Michihachi, the ninth generation of a prestigious Kyoto ware family that has been in business since the late Edo period.
[West end] → Takahashi Dohachi
[Nishimura] → Nishimura Ichimai (Owner of Amagimichi)

[Nishimura] First of all, when I looked at the pieces, each one was neat and clean. From the sharpness of the cut edge of the foot to the graceful curve of the rim, I felt that every detail had been thoroughly considered.
The artist's personality can be seen in even the decision of whether to leave the wheel marks or remove them, but Takahashi's pottery conveys both care and integrity.
Is your current style something you inherited from your father, the eighth generation Dohachi?

[Takahashi] I inherited the basics from my father. Yashiro was a master of copying, but he wasn't just a copy; he excelled at capturing the "atmosphere" of the original and blending it with modern tastes.
As I watched his back, I learned the importance of imagining not only the stencil and rough sketch, but also the historical background and the user's movements before copying.
On top of that, I add my own touch - for example, grinding the wood a little thinner to create a lighter look, or suppressing the color of the overglaze to make use of the white space.

[Nishimura] I see. The vessel itself has an air of antiquity, but when you pick it up it blends seamlessly into a modern living space.
I feel that his style straddles tradition and modernity.

[Takahashi] Yes. If we just wanted to preserve tradition, we could just copy it, but that would just put a dot in history and not create a continuous line.
As the ninth generation, I believe what should be left behind is a balance between succession and renewal.
While retaining the "beauty of minimalism" that he learned from his predecessor, he has fine-tuned the gloss and thickness of the glaze, taking into consideration modern table sizes and interior hues.

[Nishimura] By the way, when talking about the history of the Takahashi family, the phrase "Dohachi II was a genius" is often mentioned. What is the essence of this?

[Takahashi] In a word, he was “all-rounder.” The second generation mastered the red and black of Raku ware and the lustrous colored paintings of Ninsei, and even produced tea utensils, incense containers, flower vases, and ornaments.
Moreover, no matter which one he chooses, he never scores below 80 points. For example, many potters have difficulty drawing figures, but Nidai is able to draw people, animals, plants, and flowers with ease, paying close attention to even the background of the figures.

[Nishimura] I was blown away by the pair of red and black tea bowls (Kanshan and Jittoku) that I saw at the Suntory Museum. Just by having the two bowls face each other, it was as if a small universe was emerging.

[Takahashi] It's been ten years since then. Looking back at the exhibition catalogue from that time, I see that the two generations also tried their hand at porcelain glazes and Kochi glazes. In short, their insatiable curiosity to "try everything possible with clay" is what made them so amazing, and I could never imitate that.

[Nishimura] Looking at Kyo-yaki as a whole, it is said to be broadly divided into the Ogata Kenzan style and the Nonomura Ninsei style.

[Takahashi] That's right. I move between the two axes of Ninsei's "luster" and Kenzan's "elegance," and I add my own color tones between them. However, living environments have changed a lot in recent years. Tokonoma alcoves tend to be omitted in urban homes, and there is a strong trend for "small" utensils such as chabako temae and nodachi. I have made the dimensions one size smaller than in my father's time, and designed the fire box and incense container to be compact.

[Nishimura] The exhibition venues, especially the layout of modern homes, have also changed.

[Takahashi] Yes. The mainstream size is not the traditional 3'2" tokonoma alcove, but a corner of the living room or a display shelf. So while traditional tea pottery is the core, it is essential to create vessels that are portable, easy to store, and have the right lighting.

[Nishimura] The celadon works that I saw were beautiful, and in a good way they defied the image that Kyoto ware = overpainted painting.

[Takahashi] Kyoyaki is synonymous with "elegance" and "elegance," but we also need vessels with "quietness" to rest our eyes. I create rhythm throughout the exhibition by including celadon fired in a reducing flame and unglazed vessels fired with red clay. The electric kiln I'm using today is an oxidation firing kiln, but I'm also experimenting with putting pieces of carbon inside to locally reduce the temperature. I'm currently testing the color development and iron powder appearance of a blend of Ninsei clay, Shigaraki clay, and red clay.

[Nishimura] I imagine it must be difficult to create items to order from tool makers and tea masters.

[Takahashi] For example, we receive requests such as "I want the chrysanthemum crest to be more prominent" or "Make this incense holder two sizes larger." However, vessels are an art of balance. If the white space is too large or the arrangement of the pattern is distorted, the "Dohachi-ness" is lost. In that case, we politely explain the reason and, in some cases, propose an alternative plan.

[Nishimura] Did you learn the attention to detail in designs and dimensions from your father?

[Takahashi] I learned by watching my father for over a decade. His attitude was, "First, figure it out for yourself, and then answer with your work." If you want to copy a composition, you answer by "final firing" rather than sketching. Failure is also a part of the experience.

[Nishimura] The matcha boom overseas has been a driving force behind the re-evaluation of tea bowls.

[Takahashi] The base, waist, and rim of the matcha bowl are all "special specifications." The body is slightly taut, the rim is rounded for a comfortable mouthfeel, and there is space at the rim for the tea whisk to touch. This design philosophy has also struck overseas collectors as "functional beauty." Many of them like auspicious designs such as gourds and the Seven Lucky Gods, and they ask more about the origins of the patterns than Japanese people. There are many things we have to relearn.

[Nishimura] It's also interesting that, although there are more female visitors, the majority of purchases are made by men.

[Takahashi] Yes. About 70% of the people at the exhibition are women, and they seem to be attracted to the photogenic and soft colors. However, male collectors with a long history of tea ceremony choose from the perspective of "using" the items, so I get the impression that they are more likely to make a purchase.

[Nishimura] Finally, please tell us about your future production plans.

[Takahashi] I hold three solo exhibitions a year - in spring, early autumn, and late autumn. I was recently asked to make a tea bowl with autumn leaves by Kenzan, so I secured a bag of clay (50 kg) in time for next autumn. First, I decide on the shape with a bisque firing, explore the brushwork of the sketch, and check the glaze tone with a final firing. I fire the pieces again until I'm satisfied, and only release those that pass the required mark. I'm also planning an exhibition next year with the theme of "a collaboration between motion and stillness," combining a large celadon water jar with a ware-stained flower vase.

[Nishimura] The tea bowls, incense holders, and hanging vases exhibited at Amagimichi this time were truly varied and well worth seeing.

[Takahashi] Thank you very much. I would like to continue to pursue "Kyoto ware that reflects the present" while imagining the lifestyle of the user and the scenery of the tea ceremony. Please look forward to it.