Nodo Fujimoto: Sake cup, overglaze enamels, peony design

Nodo Fujimoto   藤本 能道

1919 Born in Tokyo.
1941 Graduated from The Tokyo School of fine arts, the department of crafts. (current Tokyo University of the Arts)
1970 Became a professor at the university.
1976 Show at Ginza Kuroda Touen. ‘Ceramic Plaque Exhibition’
1985 Appointed to the president of the university.
1986 Designated the Living National Treasure.
1991 Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver star.
1992 Passed away at the age of 73. 

Rosanjin Kitaoji: Sake cup, E-seto type, Round window design

Rosanjin Kitaoji 北大路 魯山人

1883 Born in Shimogamo Kitaoji, Kyoto.

1907 Began his career as a calligrapher in Tokyo.

1916 Wandered around Korea, China, Shiga, Fukui, and Kanazawa. Returned to Kyoto.

1919 Opened his antique shop in Tokyo.

1921 Began 'Bishoku club' (Gourmet's club) which serves his food with his collections.

1925 Began 'Hoshigaoka Saryo'. (Members-only restaurant)

1928 Built 'Hoshigaoka kiln' in Kamakura for producing dishes used in the restaurant.
His     reputation rose as his works exhibited in department stores and the restaurant.

1935 Started focusing on producing ceramics.

1936 Left the management of the restaurant. 

1937 The first exhibition of his new works held at Ginza Kuroda Touen.

1939 The Hoshigaoka kiln was blisk holding about 50 staff around this year. 

1942 Evacuation in Ishikawa prefecture. Produced lacquer ware there.

1954 Held a solo exhibition in New York, invited by Rockefeller Foundation.

         Visited U.S. and Europe. 

1955 Declined certification of a living national treasure.

1956 Actively held exhibitions in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nagoya.

1959 Passed away at the age of 77.

Sozan Kaneshige: Sake cup, Bizen type

Sozan Kaneshige  金重 素山

1909 Born in Bizen, Okayama. Young brother of Toyo Kaneshige.
1927 Began producing works.
1951 Moved to Kameoka, Kyoto.
1953 Built a kiln in Kameoka. Produced Kohiki and Nerikomi type.
1964 Returned to Okayama. Built an ascending kiln.
1966 Succeeded in producing Hidasuki type by electric kiln.
1983 Designated as an intangible cultural property by Okayama prefecture. First firing of a kiln in Inbe, Okayama.
1991 Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold rays with Rosette.
1995 Passed away at the age of 86.

Osamu Suzuki: Sake cup, Celadon type

Osamu Suzuki  鈴木

1926 Born in Higashiyama, Kyoto.
1948 Established ‘Sodeisha’ with Kazuo Yagi, Hikaru Yamada, and others.
1960 Awarded by the Japanese Ceramic Society.
1962 Won a gold award at International Ceramic Exhibition in Prague.
1984 Awarded a gold prize of Japanese Ceramics Society.
1987 Received the Kyoto cultural award.
1988 The 40th Anniversary exhibition of Sodeisha at Isetan department store, Shinjuku.
1992 Retired from the faculty of Fine arts, Kyoto city university of Arts.
2001 Passed away at the age of 75.

Shoji Kamoda: Sake cup 1980

Shoji Kamoda
 加守田 章二

1933 Born in Kishiwada, Osaka prefecture.

1952 Entered the department of ceramics in Kyoto City University of Arts.

1956 Graduated from the university. Moved to Hitachi, Ibaraki prefecture.

1959 Moved to Mashiko, Tochigi prefecture.

1962 Began producing ash glaze type by Anagama kiln.

1965 Ash glaze type gained attention.

1966 Awarded by the Japanese Ceramic Society. 

1969 Moved to Tono, Iwate prefecture. 

1970 Showed [Kyokusen Chomon, Curving design] for the first time.

1971 Showed [Saishoku, Colored design] for the first time.

1974 Exhibition of [Toban, ceramic plaque] at Ginza Kuroda Touen. (every year onwards)

1979 Moved to Higashi Kurume, Tokyo.

1983 Passed away at the age of 49.

Kazuo Yagi: A set of two sake cups, 'Longevity and fortune'

Kazuo Yagi 八木一夫

1918 Born in Higashiyama, Kyoto.
1931 Entered the the sculpture course at the Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and crafts.
1939 Joined the army. Discharged from the army the next year.
1943 Became a teacher at Ritsumeikan Junior High School.
1946 Left teaching, and started focusing on producing ceramics.
         Formed a young ceramic artists group, ‘Seinen Sakuto Shudan’.
         Dissolved two years later.
1948 Founded ‘Sodeisha’ with Osamu Suzuki, Hikaru Yamada, and others.
1954 Created The walk of Mr. Samsa.
1955 Began Unglazed ceramics.
1957 Began Black ware.
1959 Won Gold medal for ‘Vase, Iron Inlay’ at the Internstional Exhibition of Ceramics, Ostend in Belgium.
1962 Won a gold medal at the 3rd International Ceramic Exhibition in Prague by ‘Monument, Queen Consort’.
1970 Shown at the exhibition ‘Contemporary Ceramics Art-Europe and Japan’
         at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto and Tokyo.
1971 Became a professor of the Kyoto Municipal College of Fine Arts.
         Designed the medals of the 11th Winter Olympic in Sapporo.
1973 Investigated the Middle East as a captain of Silk road research team.
         Won the first prize at Japan Ceramic Association.
1974 Show at Ginza Kuroda Touen. ‘ Contemporary Ceramic plaque exhibition’
1976 Published a collection of essays - ‘Kaichu no Fukei’.
1978 Show at Isetan department store. ‘The 60th Anniversary of his Birth’.
1979 Passed away at the age of 60.