Dear Reader,

As Madoka Wakunami mentioned in her interview, celadon is often associated with luxury and decoration, but Soryu-gama’s celadon ware is infused with elements of folk craftsmanship and is a source of enjoyment in daily life.

The blue and white porcelain collections are the most representative pieces of the studio. What makes them even more delightful is the tobikanna technique, in which a tool made from the spring of an old clock is used to create a series of grinding marks on a vessel. The same technique is applied to some of the ash glazed pieces as well.

The Jomon series is inspired by the motif of the clay figurines from the Jomon period (13,000 to 300 BC). Madoka admits that it’s the most joyful collection to work on: “By making things with clay, an activity that has been practised for more than 10,000 years, I feel a sense of familiarity with the Jomon people’s way of treasuring nature and their worldview of valuing all living things.”

If it’s handmade jewellery that interests you the most, you have a choice of several collections, and tokino shizuku is one of them. This jewellery (earrings, necklaces & brooches) is made by collecting and firing the remains of clay that are scraped off the ceramic pieces after applying the tobikanna technique. By trapping these clay drops in glass bubbles, movement is created. The faint sound you can hear if you listen carefully is one of the charms of these distinctive pieces.

Crafting a unique ceramics necklace from ishizue collection is included in your studio visit when you book your experience through us.

Visiting Soryu-gama studio is more than just a glimpse into the art of Kyoto ceramics, it’s an immersive cultural experience. In a world where technology often takes centre stage, places like this serve as a poignant reminder of the beauty and significance of traditional and innovative craftsmanship.

If you plan to visit the studio, learn more about the its pottery techniques and experience them first-hand, book your experience here: Soryugama

Studio & store: Google Maps link

Online store (domestic shipping only): https://www.soryugama-shop.com/

Words & images by Anastasiya Bulkavets (ArigatoCreative.co)