A conversation with Michihachi Takahashi

This time, we spoke 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. I felt that meticulous attention to detail had been paid to the sharpness of the cut edge of the foot and the graceful curve of the rim. The artist's personality is revealed even in the simple decision of whether to leave the wheel marks or cut them away, and I felt that Takahashi-sensei's pottery conveyed both "carefulness" and "integrity." Is his current style something that he inherited from his 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. Watching him, I learned the importance of imagining not only the stencils and sketches, but also the historical background and the user's actions before copying. On top of that, I add my own touches - for example, I thin the surface a little to create a lighter feel, or I suppress the color of the overpainting 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 sense a style that straddles tradition and modernity.

[Takahashi] Yes. If we just wanted to preserve tradition, copying would be enough, but that would just mark a dot in history and not connect the dots. As the ninth generation, I believe what we need to preserve is a balance between inheritance and renewal. While keeping the "beauty of subtraction" that I learned from my predecessors at the core, I am also making fine adjustments to the gloss and thickness of the glaze, taking into account 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 one word, he is "all-rounder." The second generation mastered the red and black of Raku ware with ease, and also produced the lustrous colored paintings of Ninsei. He also created tea utensils, incense holders, flower vases, and ornaments. And no matter what he did, he never received a score below 80 points. For example, many potters have difficulty depicting people, but the second generation was able to depict people, birds, animals, and flowers with ease, paying close attention to the details behind them.

[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 facing each other, it was as if a microcosm 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 that it can be broadly divided into the Ogata Kenzan style and the Nonomura Ninsei style.

[Takahashi] That's right. I move back and forth between the two axes of Ninsei's "luster" and Kenzan's "elegance," and I inject my own color tones into the mix. However, living environments have changed dramatically in recent years. Tokonoma alcoves tend to be omitted in urban homes, and there is a strong trend toward "smaller" utensils such as chabako temae (tea box) and nodachi (indoor tea utensils). I have made the dimensions one size smaller than in my father's time, and designed the fire box and incense holder to be more compact.

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

[Takahashi] Yes. Rather than the traditional 3'2" alcove size, the mainstream is now sized to fit in a corner of the living room or on a display shelf. So while traditional tea ceremony pottery is the core, it's essential to create vessels that are easy to carry, store, and even take into account how they will be illuminated.

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

[Takahashi] Kyo-yaki is synonymous with elegance and grace, but we also need quiet vessels that allow the eye to rest. I create rhythm throughout the exhibition by including celadon fired in a reducing flame and unglazed vessels fired with tightly packed red clay. Currently, I mainly use electric kilns for oxidation firing, but I am also experimenting with placing pieces of carbon inside the kiln to locally reduce the temperature. I am currently blending Ninsei clay, Shigaraki clay, and red clay, and testing the color development and the appearance of iron powder.

[Nishimura] Please tell us a few specific things about this work. First, I'd like to ask about the crane motif. It has often appeared as a lucky charm since ancient times. Is it a subject that you use often?

[Takahashi] That's right. Cranes and turtles have long been used as lucky charms, but I think the crane appears most frequently among them. It is also a beloved symbol of elegance and longevity. It is often used in alcove utensils and incense holders.

[Nishimura] I see. It's true that they are often seen among the tools. I'd like to ask about this year's zodiac sake cups. Are they made every year?

[Takahashi] Yes. I don't make all twelve zodiac signs at once, but rather make them little by little every year. The dimensions have to be precisely matched, so I make adjustments while turning the potter's wheel each time. There may be slight differences from year to year.

[Nishimura] I see. I thought they were all made at once. I guess making them a little at a time each year brings out the individuality of each piece.

[Takahashi] That's right. Even a slight change in the precision of the dimensions or the sense of the product can make a big difference in the overall impression. That's something we take very seriously.

[Nishimura] Regarding the firing process, I understand that you use an electric kiln. Electric kilns allow for a great deal of control, but are there any differences between them and climbing kilns?

[Takahashi] Yes, there is. While it's easy to control the temperature with an electric kiln, it's also less likely to produce natural changes. It produces a different finish than reduction firing. However, sometimes the piece takes on a beautiful appearance that you never expected, and it's fascinating because you don't know what it will look like until you open it.

[Nishimura] I see. By the way, when did people start using electric kilns?

[Takahashi] We have been using electric kilns for quite some time. We started using electric kilns in the Yatsushiro era, during my father's generation. We also experimented with reduction firing and researched various methods to suit the times.

[Nishimura] I was surprised to hear that you had tried reduction firing in an electric kiln. So you can use different firing methods depending on the purpose of the piece.

[Takahashi] Yes. For example, the same glaze can produce completely different colors when oxidized and reduced. The interesting thing is how to design it.

[Nishimura] I see. The design on this sake cup has a certain oriental, or Eastern feel to it, but also a hint of Western decoration. It also gives the impression of a yoraku pattern.

[Takahashi] That's right. That pattern originally came from the image of a yoraku, a necklace worn by Buddhist statues. The decoration is modeled after the strings of necklaces, and it has an interesting rhythm to it. I like the way it retains the fluctuations of being made by hand.

[Nishimura] Thank you very much. The lid rest you exhibited this time was also impressive. I heard that the name "Tsubotsubo" (pot jar) has a meaning.

[Takahashi] Yes. There was a toy for children from the Edo period called a "tsubo-tsubo," and the shape is based on that. It has a cute shape, and we added gold paint to it to give it a playful feel.

[Nishimura] It was a very cute piece. And as expected, the expression of the black glaze was impressive. When you think of the Takahashi family, you think of this deep black.

[Takahashi] That's right. True black tuna is a particularly difficult color to achieve. If you cook it just a little bit wrong, it will turn out grayish or uneven. To achieve the perfect black color, you have to carefully determine the degree of reduction.

[Nishimura] That deep black is certainly unique. The pale green color of this kneaded incense holder was also very beautiful. What conditions produce that color?

[Takahashi] I usually fire them at around 1100 degrees. Firing at a slightly lower temperature tends to produce a soft green color. Some older pieces have a slightly cloudy appearance, but nowadays, even electric kilns can produce a transparent color. Over time, the color will change little by little, so I think you'll enjoy watching that change over time.

[Nishimura] I see. It's true that the look changes depending on how the light hits it.

[Takahashi] Yes. Ceramics is a living thing, so it grows over time. That's what makes it so interesting.

[Nishimura] The matcha boom overseas has been a tailwind, and tea bowls are being reevaluated.

[Takahashi] The base, waist, and rim of the matcha bowl are all "special specifications." The body is slightly bulging, the rim is rounded for a comfortable mouthfeel, and there is extra space at the rim for the tea whisk to touch. This design philosophy is also appreciated by overseas collectors as "functional beauty." Many people there like auspicious designs such as gourds and the Seven Lucky Gods, and they often ask more questions about the origins of the patterns than Japanese people. It's often something we have to re-learn.

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

[Takahashi] Yes. About 70% of the people at the exhibition were women, and they seemed to be attracted to the photogenic nature of the pieces and the soft colors. However, male collectors with a long history of tea ceremony chose the pieces from the perspective of "using" them, 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 work on a theme of three solo exhibitions a year: in spring, early autumn, and late autumn. I was recently commissioned to create a tea bowl with a painting of autumn leaves by Kenzan, and I have secured a bag of clay (50 kg) in time for next autumn. First, I determine the shape with a bisque firing, explore the brushwork of the sketch, and then check the glaze tone with a final firing. I fire the pieces again until I'm satisfied, and only those that pass the test are released to the public. I'm also planning an exhibition next year with the theme of "A Competition of Stillness and Movement," combining a large celadon water jar with a glazed flower vase.

[Nishimura] The tea bowls, incense holders, and hanging flower 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.