Hideki Yanashita

Painted three times with a special black glaze which is self made by Hideki with brush and then the kiln firing for about 4 hours, This black Raku tea bowl is on the basis of Koetsu but according to the Artist is not just a copy , but an extension line. An Original work strictly not related to utsushi or in any way intended to be a "remake"

Fuji rain clouds theme,was created in origin by Kohetsu Honami (1558 - 1637), great ancestors of Raku-yaki. He started making Raku assisted by Johkei and Nonkoh, part of the Raku family. His works are known for their spontaneity characterized by free thinking and uniqueness of form. These chawan today made by Hideki evokes me as i am gazing upon a great rocky cliff or in the middle of the Rain forest. A sublime sense of myst that it gives a dynamic character to my way to drink. The surface covered by black glaze rough like ancient sandstone is quitecommon made from the rare and precious stone, found only in the KAMOGAWA Kyoto River. Some of these works may remind "Amagumo" some "Murakumo" some "Sichiri" or "Shigure" even thee all with a deliberate irregularity around the mouth and the area of the body to show the red clay texture underneathm and they seems so closed to Koetsu, is important to know: All of these are representative of Kôetsu's tea bowls in some way, but Hideki made his ow vew not related to utsushi. view them as an extension line. An Original work strictly not related to utsushi or in any way intended to be a "remake"

How to hand down raku-yaki embodying wabisabi spirit (the aesthetic sense in Japanese art emphasizing quiet simplicity)

Onihagi had the chance to ask some questions to Hideki Yanashita: a promising young artist from Iga, Mie Prefecture, with works based on Shira, raku, while taking on a variety of styles including white glazing common to Nezumi Shino and Oribe. Being a conversation that goes on and on, and being basically an important artist of the new wave who has brought a lot of innovation, also to respect his privacy, i put the first part here very dehydrated avoiding to let u read the direct questions.

I have faithfully respected Hideki san's answers as the teacher seems to be very familiar with English. He has an innate curiosity and an incredibly kind soul, one of the main reasons that prompted all of Onihagi's tm to seriously consider a important selection with the aim of consolidating future projects.

He kindly asked me to just call him Hideki, which highlights the profound humility of man and artist, a sensitivity that is all in his works. My dream is that you too can feel the same emotions i feel using one of these works, perhaps when it rains or when the weather gets cloudy and gloomy.

Manuel Jensa

"Hideki 季器. In kanji character 季 means season, 器 means ware, vessel, container, something like that. I was born in Tokyo. All my works are based on "Wabi Sabi", so I always stay to traditional or on the extension line. This is very important as i really respect tradition very much as i also respect nature. I started to make pottery at the age of 24 and when i was 30 years old i was inspired by "Wabi Sabi" in Momoyama period. Actually my master is Mr, Sugimoto Sadamitsu but I wasn't taught by him step by step. Clay is very important thing for me and actually i dig in the search of the perfect clays (not all the clays), because clay makes my final result good or not. I pay a lot of attention when i work with clay, i use only my hands and legs (when I use my kick wheel) . Actually my clays are so special, crucial in what i do. I use clay which is very far from my house and i ask to a local potter who I know to dig selected raw soil, and i avoid to buy from popular clay shop. I have two kilns for wood firing and one powered by oil. I am a kind of man who liked to travel in the past and I still like but now i considering not too often to get on the plane, because of environment."

Hideki Yanashita

"I am looking back to the works of momoyama and i wondering here the people from wabi sabi where lookin. If i go same directions as the people of wabi sabi at least, i shall come to see the figure of truth someday"