Seeking Freedom Rooted in Emotion

Hanada: How did making tableware become your profession?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : I never really wanted to work as a salaried company employee (laughs). At first, I aspired to do Japanese traditional painting. When I was a student, I used to sketch a lot in the neighborhood where I lodged, and there was an elderly man who would quietly watch my work. We started talking, and since we lived close by, I began visiting his home. After a while, I discovered that he was Futarashi Toriumi, a master of ink wash painting. So, I asked to become his apprentice. He told me, “When we were young, painters could get away with buying rice at New Year’s and paying for it at the end of the year, but those times are probably gone. At least graduate from university. If you still want to do it after that, come back to see me.”

Hanada: You still remember those exact words. And after entering university, as your interests expanded, you came to know about Hideo Hata, right?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Back then, Hideo Hata wrote frequently for magazines like ‘Me no Me’ and ‘Ginka’. At a time when I thought pottery meant the kind of things exhibited at major exhibitions like Nitten, I encountered his writing.

Hanada: So, it was his writing that sparked your interest.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Yes, along with a photograph of an early Imari sencha teacup. I was instantly captivated, realizing that such a world existed. It was a realm completely unknown to me until then, and the text truly moved me.

Hanada: What was it about them that drew you in so strongly?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Ultimately, the fact that they were functional tableware. Also, they were entirely different from the flashy, glittering decorative pieces I had seen before. When considering my own personality, I felt this direction suited me much better. Plus, I figured if I worked on tableware, I wouldn’t starve (laughs). As long as humans exist, tableware is always necessary, right?

Hanada: And that led you to meet Hideo Hata?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Right after reading his series, I wrote him a letter. I never expected a reply, but in less than a week, he wrote back saying, “My son runs a studio over in Kanazawa. Why don’t you tag along when I head down there?” That is how he brought me to Kutani Seiyo.

Hanada: Wow, and that brings us to where you are today.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : It has been 41 years since then.

Hanada: Was your work based on early Imari right from the start?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Well, we have Shunzo Masaki for Kosometsuke (old blue-and-white). I knew that if I tried my hand at Kosometsuke now, I could never compete with him, but I thought I could manage with Ko-Imari (laughs). Back then, not many people were focusing seriously on Ko-Imari. I even went to see it in Arita. Everyone there was incredibly kind.

Hanada: That must have been wonderful.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Everyone gladly showed me around. What surprised me was that even at workshops producing what we would now call mass-produced items, if you went to the back, they usually had a magnificent storehouse containing excellent collections of celadon and ceramic shards.

Hanada: Your work is based on Ko-Imari, particularly from the early period.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : As you move into the middle and late periods, the patterns become highly stylized and design-oriented, and I never grew fond of that style. Of course, there are interesting pieces from those later periods, so I sometimes adapt those ideas into an early Imari style.

Hanada: What do you mean exactly by “design-oriented”?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Things that are too rigid, or where the motif has become just a painting. It feels like it is no longer an illustration meant for tableware.

Hanada: You mean it feels like a standalone painting rather than a pattern?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Exactly. In the early pieces, emotion came to the forefront rather than calculated design, and I think that is why they moved me so deeply.

Hanada: The maker’s mood at that moment comes through more clearly.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Things captured through emotion possess freedom, don’t they? While early pieces might be technically unrefined as drawings, they are free and unconstrained. I find that much more interesting, and I have worked with the hope of making tableware like that myself.

Hanada: Do you feel anything specific regarding the inherent power of the material or clay body that early Imari possesses?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Early pieces have very small feet and are quite thick. Since no one knew how to throw porcelain on the wheel initially, Karatsu artisans were likely throwing them. Karatsu pieces are thrown exactly that way.

Hanada: And you find that quality appealing.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Yes, for early pieces. However, the difficult part is that if you mimic that now—making the foot small and the base solidly thick—the piece itself might look nice, but it severely limits what can be served on it, especially for standard five-sun (approx. 15cm) plates. It ends up being suitable only for dry foods, or for placing just a tiny portion right in the center. It looks stylish, but it does not really work for modern lifestyle.

Hanada: A “dry food plate” to rival pasta and curry plates? That sounds like a tough sell (laughs).

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Adapting to modern life while digesting tradition. Striking that balance is the difficult part.

Hanada: Lately, we are seeing an increase in reproductions of antique ceramics again.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : There are various people doing it in Kyushu as well. It is a good thing that more talented people are emerging.

Hanada: What have been the most challenging aspects for you as you developed your ideal tableware?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : I wouldn’t call it a struggle, because it is not finished yet (laughs). There is no finish line. I just have to keep moving forward while learning from various people. For example, look at this early Joseon Dynasty piece I was asked to replicate.

Hanada: It carries a real presence and weight.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : It is heavy, isn’t it? It truly feels like throwing a solid lump of clay. Reasonably speaking, this would not function in today’s dining habits (laughs).

Hanada: (Laughs) It would be tough if everything were like this, but having one occasionally adds to the fun. It makes you want to serve dry snacks on it.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Being given the opportunity to do this kind of work is something I am very grateful for. If I were just thinking on my own, the idea to replicate something like this would never occur to me. Even if I saw it, I probably would have dismissed it from the start, thinking it was too heavy and impractical for modern use.

Hanada: Is there any specific work you would like to pursue moving forward?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : I want to produce in volume so my brushwork becomes even more natural. Ultimately, it would be wonderful if I could strip away various elements and make a piece stand on its own with just a simple painted design, but that is genuinely difficult. Making a piece compelling with only a minimal touch of painting is incredibly hard. Early pieces have a striking presence from just a quick, spontaneous stroke.

Hanada: Among everything you have created so far, are there any pieces you feel a particularly strong attachment to?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Rather than a sentimental attachment, there are items I have continued to make ever since I went independent. I made quite a few of these for Hanada over the years. This was originally a soba choko cup with this pattern, and I turned it into a plate by adding some lines and a stepped rim.

Hanada: What are the moments that bring you joy or make you glad you chose this path throughout your career?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : It is definitely the joy of the people who buy the pieces. Hearing them say things like “It is so easy to use” or “It makes the food look beautiful” is the highest praise for a maker.

Hanada: Before your solo exhibition, we also have exhibitions for Mansaku Nakao and Kyoko Hayashi. Mansaku Nakao laughed and said, “Aren’t we just going to cancel each other out?”

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : That sounds just like him (laughs). Mansaku Nakao, Kyoko Hayashi, then me?

Hanada: A succession of former Kutani Seiyo alumni. Now, I hear that you occasionally interact with younger makers. Do you have a message for them?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : I cannot say anything grand (laughs). Young people these days study old pieces thoroughly, which I think is wonderful. Now they need to express that knowledge in a way that fits tableware for modern life. Replicating old works builds strength and offers great lessons, so it is worth doing. But if you stop at replication, it becomes uninspiring. It is merely a means of study. I believe the same applies to people like Shunzo Masaki; as you keep practicing, the work conforms to your hands, and what you create becomes your own. Even when replicating Ko-Imari, it should eventually become the work of Mitsuo Fujitsuka.

Hanada: One should have their own interpretation and expression of the object. In that sense, while your direct inspiration may be early Imari, you seem to absorb a wide variety of influences from different sources to create your own world.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : I might have mentioned this before, but I don’t think friends within the same trade are all that necessary. Encountering people from different fields and meeting a variety of individuals provides far more stimulus and learning opportunities. I don’t see much value in potters gathering to fuss over things amongst themselves. Even among creators, there are painters, musicians, and all sorts. It is beneficial to meet diverse people. It leads to many discoveries and becomes a source of energy before you even realize it.

Hanada: Whenever I speak with you, names of prominent figures from various fields always come up.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : For me, the Japanese traditional painter Koichi Takeuchi is a source of emotional support. He was the top apprentice of Kayou Yamaguchi, and I met him at a drinking establishment in Kanazawa. Without knowing who he was, and simply because I loved painting, I just went on and on, passionately sharing my opinions on art with him. I think that was a year or two before I went independent. When you don’t know any better, you can do anything (laughs). Thinking back on it now makes me break into a cold sweat, but our acquaintance has continued ever since.

Hanada: That passionate outburst was the very beginning of your relationship.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : At that moment, I was genuinely giving it my all (laughs). He let me know when the sliding door paintings at Daitoku-ji Hoshun-in were completed, so I went to see them, and they were magnificent.

Hanada: I would love to visit during the next public viewing! Lastly, do you have any thoughts regarding the upcoming solo exhibition?

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : This is my first solo exhibition at Hanada, so I hope to show a comprehensive view of my work so far.

Hanada: A comprehensive collection of your journey, along with new pieces that show a refreshing sense of playfulness. We look forward to it.

Mitsuo Fujitsuka : Thank you, I look forward to it too!