I’ve visited Mashiko and Kasama in November 2023 and I am also visiting them again in May to discuss about new pottery exhibition, which will be opened in public later. As you might know that Mashiko is particularly famous in the UK as the great Japanese potter Shoji Hamada was based in Mashiko. Hamda and the great British potter Bernard Leach were the best friend and they both created their pieces in St. Ives in the UK and Mashiko. Currently Hamda kiln is runed by Shoji’s grand son Tomoo Hamda and he is pushing the boundary of his grand father’s Mingei legacy. Mingei is “people’s art” unknown artists create beautiful products, which could give us a great pleasure. Hamada and a fellow potter Kanjiro Kawa, Japanese schooler Soetsu Yanagi established the Mingei movement in 1920’ and it is still existing or perhaps, it is more relevant right now as there are so many mass produced products in our lifestyle. Our beloved book written by Yanagi “The beauty of Everyday things “ explain Mingei more.
