I was born in 1945.
There are no other artists in my family, except for my younger brother, who is a furniture maker, also working in Japan.

I'm fortunate for having known from a very young age that a career involving pottery was in my future.

The first clay vessel I ever made was an ash tray for my father, a present on his birthday, when I was seven years old. I was very proud of myself for having formed from basically shapeless material, something that he could use and enjoy every day.
Though this happened more than half a century ago, I still remember the pride and fascination I felt as my father's present took shape in my hands. I rubbed it with a watery sponge to give it a smooth finish, enjoying the process so much that I just couldn't stop working on it. I kept on smoothing, smoothing... so immersed in the process that I lost awareness of everything else, until I realized that all that remained of my father's treasure was a puddle of soupy clay on the kitchen table.

From my time in junior high school until my graduation from a university, I enrolled in ceramics classes, so that I could continue working with clay and glazes. It seemed as if I could never tire of having clay in my hands.
But it was apparent to me, even in that early time, that the ceramic medium is extremely complex... impossible to understand, not to mention master, without many years of practical experience in working with the materials, then putting them through the trial of fire.

A conversation which came about by pure chance between myself and a teacher at my university resulted in my decision to travel to Japan (to the great surprise of my family and friends) to study pottery making.

I had no clear image in my mind about the world of Japanese ceramics, and my intentions were equally as vague, except that I had hoped to learn something. I had a strong feeling, however, that something very meaningful to my life was awaiting me in a rural pottery town on the other side of the world.

A Potter's Cupboard

Most of these small tablewares were made by myself or my friends. Some of them have had continuous use for almost thirty years !

My arrival in Mashiko was met by no small amount of curiosity by the town citizens; fortunately I was accepted without hesitation into the potters' community, thanks to my teacher's introductions, and probably also because of the image I projected as someone who had come with serious desire to learn about a traditional art.

During the time that I was a student, new to Mashiko, until the present, after having worked here for many years as a professional potter, I have been afforded every opportunity to achieve any goal I considered worthy of attainment. The lessons which I have learned as a result of my experiences are at least as important as the experiences themselves.

If I were asked by a young person for advice on how to proceed along a chosen path, I would answer that it's important to keep one's eyes and heart open toward any and all chances for involvement in a unique and unplanned for experience.

I would also advise that if one is worthy of and in need of assistance in achieving a goal, there is never any harm done in simply asking for it.