ABOUT US
The Miyagawa family was founded during the early Edo period, in the Jōkyō era (1684–1687), and has been a Kyoto-style pottery kiln continuing through twelve generations for approximately 350 years. Since the sixth generation, who first adopted the name Kōsai, the kiln has prioritized reinterpreting Kyoto ware and masterpieces from past generations, a practice known as reinterpretation called “utsushi.” It has consistently produced diverse works aligned with the times. For instance, it crafted sencha tea utensils during the sencha tea boom and tea ceremony utensils when the tea ceremony flourished. Through its high technical skill and unique techniques, it has continually met Kyoto's sophisticated demands. The elegant refinement of Kyoto, realized through a broad and diverse range of styles, is now appreciated not only domestically but also internationally by collectors in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and China.
We weave Kyoto's culture and Makuzu's techniques into the present, delivering the refined beauty and enjoyment of Japanese craftsmanship, a source of national pride.
Miyagawa Kôsai 7th Profile
Miyagawa Kôsai 7thBorn into a family of Kyoto ceramics, I grew up in a house with a workshop where generations of sample pieces were displayed everywhere since my childhood. Though I only recently succeeded to the name Shichidaigaku Miyagawa Kosai in 2024, I spend my days facing the clay, feeling both the magnificence of the work by the masters of Kyoto pottery—from Nonomura Ninsei to Miyagawa Chosaku, who founded Shichidaigaku ware, and all the Kosai predecessors—and the weighty responsibility of preserving and passing it on.
True craftsmanship cannot be achieved by looking only to the past; one must also face forward. I believe that presenting my utmost effort—reflecting the present era upon the foundation of tradition—is my way of repaying the debt I owe to you all and to the masters of Kyoto ware. While valuing the traditional techniques of Makuzu, I am determined to devote my energy to reviving lost, advanced techniques of Kyoto ware, such as underglaze painting utilizing the texture of the straw ash glaze passed down through a single lineage, and double-layered openwork. I wish to forge ahead, striving in my own way to create a new Makuzu for the modern era. I earnestly hope this will bring you enjoyment and, however modestly, lay the foundation for the next generation.
I humbly request your kind attention and consideration.
BIOGRAPHY
- 1977
- Born in Kyoto (real name: Shinichi)
- 2000-2001
- Studied at the University of Michigan, U.S.A.
- 2002
- Graduated from Kyoto Seika University, Faculty of Art, Department of Ceramics
- 2003
- Completed the Ceramics Course at Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute
- 2004
- After graduating from Kyoto College of Advanced Ceramic Technology, studied under the 12th generation Hagi ware master Sakataka Reizamon
- 2005
- Joined his birthplace, Makazu Pottery.
- 2024
- Succeeded to the name of 7th generation of Makazu, Miyagawa Kôsai.
Our Speciality
During a period of social stability, tea culture became popular among samurai and townspeople, increasing the demand for tea utensils. In Kyoto’s Higashiyama area, there was white clay, and many kilns in the foothills produced reproductions of Chinese and Korean ceramics. Utsushi can be seen as the origin of Kyo-yaki and remains one of its defining characteristics.
In the modern context, utsushi is not a mere copy. It involves understanding the qualities of a masterpiece as a classical reference, reinterpreting it from a contemporary perspective, and reconstructing it for today. Of course, this requires skill, but the creativity of the artist becomes more evident through the act of reproduction, and it is this spirit that gives the work its true significance.
This glaze produces a gentle, milky white with a slight bluish tint, creating a soft, rounded aesthetic. It can be said that this aesthetic gives Makuzu Ware its distinguished elegance. However, even with the same straw ash glaze, the underlying clay can affect the color, producing warm reddish tones or cool bluish-white hues, resulting in a variety of appearances.
The straw ash glaze was originally used by Ninsei Nonomura, the founder of Kyo-yaki. Chōzō Miyagawa, who specialized in reproducing Ninsei’s works, mastered this glaze and it has continued to be used by successive generations of the Makuzu family.
The phrase “Jussui-Goseki” comes from a line in a Chinese poem by Du Fu: “One paints water in ten days, one paints a stone in five days.” It expresses the idea of not sparing effort and carefully advancing each step with patience and attention to detail.
