On our last visit to Japan we were introduced to husband and wife ceramicists Tomomi and Hidekazu Nakamura. We visited this couple’s ceramic studio in the small mountain town of Tsuroka, Yamagata where they live.

Meeting them and learning about their process was an absolute pleasure. Tomomi has been making ceramics since 1997, and her husband, Hidekazu, since 1998. Hidekazu’s pieces are quieter than Tomomi’s. Their subtlety invites close inspection, and their depth lies in the details. Hidekazu’s glazes are particularly captivating: the longer you look at them, the more beautiful they appear! 

All of his pieces are made on a wheel in his small studio, nestled between rice fields, the mountains, and the ocean.

 

Here he has an electric kiln that allows him to consistently experiment with glazing techniques. I was shocked to discover that all of his pieces are made using this humble kiln, as many of them appear to have the markings from a wood-fired kiln.

 

Hidekazu explained some of the special techniques and glazes he has developed that give his pieces so much complexity without using wood-fire, and I was thoroughly impressed by his ingenuity.

 

 

 

We asked Hikekazu Nakamura to make a small collection of 10 chawan exclusively for our shop using his matte titanium and shirahagi glazes. The ceramics have just arrived at our shop. You can see the collection here!