In my work I tend towards the incomplete rather than the complete. The incomplete contains a space that remains untouched and I am driven by my very nature and existence to capture the freedom of life that resides within that space.
From my first solo exhibition in late 1968 to the present day, I have believed, ‘creation to be the act of satisfying one’s own desire,’ and even when creating a tea bowl, I yearn to imbue it with the stirrings of life.
Despite this, I want my heart to always remain filled with curiosity and purity. The concept behind this new work, ‘SHOWAN − The Bowl of Life ’, that sprang from this background, is of the final cup of tea shared by the samurai warriors as they were about to go out into battle, not knowing whether they would return or not.
Therefore, when you drink from this new work, the ‘SHOWAN − The Bowl of Life’, I hope that it will allow you to feel the spirit, the enthusiasm and the romance of your life. It is my fondest wish that this series will continue to develop in a robust fashion.


Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Art Gallery,
Nihombash Mitsukoshi Main Store 6th Floor
1-4-1 Nihombashi Muromachi Chuoku, Tokyo
103-8001
TEL. 03-3241-3311