“Front and Center in the Cupboard” — Toshiki Sugimoto

Toshiki Sugimoto’s tableware is rooted in exceptional skill and an innate sense of design. Since his debut at Hanada, his circle of admirers has continued to grow. For the upcoming exhibition in May, he is preparing pieces that reflect his signature approach, subtle personal preferences, and functional warmth.

Hanada: Did you step straight into the world of ceramics after finishing school?

Toshiki Sugimoto : I attended high school in Shigaraki, and right next door was the ceramic research center. After graduating, I spent two years there.

Hanada: Was it an easy decision for you?

Toshiki Sugimoto : Well, it was the only option that came to mind, so there was no reason to hesitate (laughs). Around graduation, everyone was securing jobs, and my homeroom teacher asked, “Sugimoto, what are you going to do?” So I just said, “I’ll go downstairs.”

Hanada: Downstairs?

Toshiki Sugimoto : We called it “downstairs” because the research center was at the bottom of the hill from our high school. After finishing my time there, I spent nine years training at a studio in Kyoto, where I also worked on hand-painting. No potter’s wheel work at all—just two straight years of meticulous painting, like Shonzui patterns. After that, I spent seven years at Doraku.

Hanada: So you worked as a painter. I always admired how deftly you painted barley motifs, and now it all makes sense. Still, coming from a painting background, going to Doraku isn’t usually the obvious path.

Toshiki Sugimoto : A senior colleague at the Kyoto studio happened to be an alumnus of Doraku and invited me over. To be honest, I hadn’t even heard the name before. I actually asked, “What is Doraku?” When I arrived, I realized, “Ah, this is a place that makes donabe clay pots.” I suppose ignorance is bliss—when you don’t know any better, you can dive into anything (laughs).

Hanada: Sometimes that works out for the best.

Toshiki Sugimoto : Pretending to know everything is the hardest way to live (laughs). Since I already had experience, I sat straight down at the wheel and began throwing. At the time, there were three craftsmen who specialized entirely in clay pots. One of them was truly extraordinary. He had incredible technical mastery. Even around eighty years old, he was throwing large, about 40 cm in diameter clay pots at astonishing speed. You’d set a lump of clay on the wheel, and in less than a minute, a finished clay pot was standing right there. Just looking away for a second, and it was done. It was unbelievable—so fast you couldn’t even process what he was doing. Looking back, his was the first and last wheel work I’ve seen that felt like it had a physical speed and energy to it.

Hanada: You had a great mentor right beside you.

Toshiki Sugimoto : He wasn’t someone you could easily emulate. I could only watch in awe.

Hanada: Did you set him as your goal?

Toshiki Sugimoto : No, that was impossible (laughs). Technical skill aside, that unique presence and style isn’t something you can simply copy. It comes down to an inborn sensibility. Once you see something like that… you can’t go around saying you’re good at the wheel.

Hanada: For you to say that, he must have been truly exceptional. Did you speak with him often about technique?

Toshiki Sugimoto : Not at all (laughs). He wasn’t the type to explain things, and knowing that, I never asked. For him, it was all muscle memory and intuition. But really, he was incredible.

Hanada: Changing the subject a bit, your work is always distinguished by its practical, everyday usability.

Toshiki Sugimoto : I use tableware constantly myself, and as you use pieces, you discover new ways to enjoy them. I simply make what I feel I need in my own daily life. Surprisingly, what I need often isn’t available out there, so I end up having to make it myself (laughs).

Hanada: So your creative process starts with utility—making something because it’s needed, rather than just wanting to create for its own sake.

Toshiki Sugimoto : What brings me the most joy is when a customer says, “This is exactly what I was looking for.” It gives me a sense of relief to know it resonated, because after all, these are items meant to be used.

Hanada: Your pieces have a subtle nuance to them. At first glance they seem simple, yet the shapes are refined and the lines are beautiful. They appear effortless, but everything is carefully considered. Nothing feels intrusive; everything feels natural and welcoming. I imagine that comes from your solid technical foundation.

Toshiki Sugimoto : I’m not used to compliments (laughs).

Hanada: Allow me one more (laughs). Your “Roll Donabe” was wonderful as well. It’s certainly not a typical clay pot.

Toshiki Sugimoto : Clay pots with flat bottoms are quite rare. A flat base makes it much easier to simmer ingredients gently with minimal liquid—perfect for dish preparations like cabbage rolls. That is actually where the name “Roll” came from.

Hanada: At first, I wondered what “Roll Donabe” referred to. I even thought it might be about the rolled shape of the handles (laughs).

Toshiki Sugimoto : Truth be told, I hadn’t made cabbage rolls very often before that. But I thought making them in a pot like that would be enjoyable, and that was the starting point. It’s also great for simmering whole fish.

Hanada: Simmered fish is a wonderful match.

Toshiki Sugimoto : In a standard rounded clay pot, the tail often sticks out above the liquid.

Hanada: That’s very true—it’s a small detail, but a noticeable one (laughs). Still, making the base of a clay pot flat must require a lot of care during production.

Toshiki Sugimoto : From a structural perspective, a flat base isn’t ideal for a clay pot because it puts stress on the corners. But that’s a maker’s concern. It would be a shame for someone to compromise or struggle while cooking just because of how the pot is made.

Hanada: That reflects your philosophy so well—starting from practical necessity and designing thoughtful solutions around it.

Toshiki Sugimoto : I kept the bottom flat while rounding the inner corners. Flat-bottomed pots are relatively common in Western cookware, after all.

Hanada: That story illustrates your approach perfectly. Looking back, what would you say is the most important value in your craft?

Toshiki Sugimoto : I want to make tableware that people reach for effortlessly during busy meal preparations.

Hanada: The kind of piece that stays right at the front of the shelf, easy to grab every time.

Toshiki Sugimoto : Exactly. Above all, I want them to be used every day. To achieve that, there are still so many things I want to explore and refine.

Hanada: Are you referring to expanding your range and direction?

Toshiki Sugimoto : Yes, in terms of shapes, firing methods, and glazes. The dining table, along with the food served on it, evolves over time.

Hanada: Looking ahead to the May exhibition, those flower-shaped (Rinka) bowls are lovely.

Toshiki Sugimoto : (Smiles) I’m glad you like them.

Hanada: What inspired you to present them for May?

Toshiki Sugimoto : Once I started making them, I couldn’t stop (laughs). I wanted a bowl designed specifically for serving bread.

Hanada: Bread?

Toshiki Sugimoto : I’ve been baking my own sourdough bread recently using natural yeast. So these pieces were inspired by breakfast—bread bowls and individual serving plates. I couldn’t find anything that felt quite right on the market. I also do a lot of smoking in the winter, so they work wonderfully for roasted beef or smoked chicken too. When you make those yourself, they’re delicious.

Hanada: You really enjoy cooking and baking!

Toshiki Sugimoto : I’ll cook just about anything (laughs).

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