It All Started with Manga

Hanada: How did you first become interested in the world of tableware?

Michiko Nakaarae : I’ve always liked drawing, and ever since elementary school I vaguely thought, “I’d like to have a job where I can draw.”

Hanada: What kind of drawings did you make?

Michiko Nakaarae : Manga. My favorite was Hunter × Hunter. I borrowed it from a friend’s older brother and became completely absorbed in it. I also read girls’ manga like Ribon and various gag manga.

Hanada: Gag manga? That sounds fun.

Michiko Nakaarae : I still draw it, actually…

Hanada: Really? Is there somewhere people can see it?

Michiko Nakaarae : It’s a little embarrassing, but I have a separate Instagram account called “Marukomerin.”
Around the time I needed to decide on my future path, I was thinking, “There are so many different kinds of jobs that involve drawing—what should I do?” Then I noticed a brochure for the Kyoto Traditional Arts Super College sitting in my high school’s staff room.
I saw photos of graduation projects by students in the ceramics painting course and thought, “Wow, you can learn to paint with this much detail.” That inspired me to pursue it.

Hanada: What was your experience at the Traditional Arts College like?

Michiko Nakaarae : It was refreshing to be surrounded by people who all loved the same things. Every class was about something I enjoyed, so every day was fun.

Gratitude to My Master

Hanada: What did you do after graduation?

Michiko Nakaarae : I spent about a year in Kyoto studying overglaze painting at Hozan Kiln (as it was known at the time). I remember realizing that I couldn’t do the work as well as I had expected. Of course, school and professional work are completely different things.

Hanada: And then you joined the Yamamoto Chosa Studio.

Michiko Nakaarae : Yes, I trained there for about four years. I had heard it was extremely demanding, but everyone who graduated from there became highly skilled, so I really wanted to learn in that environment.

Hanada: Were you accepted right away?

Michiko Nakaarae : At first, I was told, “We don’t have any openings this year.” But I kept faxing my drawings from Kyoto over and over for them to review. I often went to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens to work on my sketches as well. Those are fond memories now.

Hanada: That’s dedication.

Michiko Nakaarae : I think they accepted me almost by force of persistence. My master was a very compassionate person, and I’m still deeply grateful to him.

From Trial by Fire to the Spotlight

Hanada: How were those four years at the Yamamoto Chosa Studio?

Michiko Nakaarae : At first, I was scolded constantly and went home crying almost every day (laughs). I was incredibly slow at the beginning, and I was told, “You can’t make a living like that.” Someone would stand beside me with a stopwatch shouting, “Faster, faster, faster!”. My hands would shake, and I couldn’t even do things I was normally capable of doing. I learned that being “careful” is not an excuse for being slow. That experience completely shook me out of my student mindset.

Hanada: That must have been a valuable experience.

Michiko Nakaarae : I think I was probably a troublesome apprentice (laughs). I was even asked things like, “Do you really think you’re suited for this work?” and I remember answering through tears, “I don’t know,” or something along those lines.

Hanada: Sounds like quite an ordeal.

Michiko Nakaarae : It really was—I hardly knew what was going on anymore (laughs). But after about six months, there was an exhibition called “Yamamoto Chosa and His Apprentices,” where my master displayed works by his apprentices as well.
I wondered whether someone like me should really be exhibiting, but I made my own piece anyway. And it was incredibly enjoyable. What’s more, my master praised the work I exhibited.
It was the first time he had ever praised me, and I feel that things started to change after that.

Hanada: That was truly a turning point. You were able to rediscover the joy of creating your own work.

Michiko Nakaarae : Even though it was my own work, it was still based on what I had learned and adapted in my own way, so I think the influence of my master was clearly present in it.

Hanada: After six months of intense training, how did it feel to make something of your own again?

Michiko Nakaarae : I realized that, without noticing it, I had actually improved my painting skills somewhat. I still had a long way to go, though.

Hanada: What kind of piece did you exhibit?

Michiko Nakaarae : It was the same fluted 9cm small dish with three rabbits that I still paint today. It featured arabesque patterns in underglaze blue.

Hanada: A lifelong companion, then.

Michiko Nakaarae : Yes (laughs).

Hanada: Eventually you became independent. What was it like when you left the studio?

Michiko Nakaarae : My master was actually the first one to say, “It’s about time.” That studio encourages apprentices to leave once they’ve grown enough, so hearing that made me feel I had finally earned some recognition. It made me genuinely happy. I became independent at the age of twenty-six.

Hanada: Once independent, you also had to source your own blanks.

Michiko Nakaarae : Sometimes I buy them from potters who specialize in making blanks, and sometimes I ask friends of former colleagues from my apprenticeship days.
One friend in particular really understands my tastes. The others do as well—they know exactly what I look for and make pieces with those points in mind, and I’m very grateful for that.
My name is on the finished work because I’m the one who does the final painting, but in reality it’s very much a collaborative effort.

What Brings Excitement

Hanada: What is most important to you when creating tableware?

Michiko Nakaarae : This is something my master often said as well: although I make pieces in batches, each one eventually goes to a different person. That’s why I never want the process to become an assembly line. I want to make every piece with care.
As for the actual design, I place great importance on how it looks when food is served on it. I want it to be something that lifts people’s spirits, whether they are using it or even washing it afterward.

Hanada: Customers often tell us, “Even washing a favorite piece is enjoyable.”

The Appeal of Dami Shading

Hanada: Your work includes both underglaze blue and overglaze enamels. The balance between playful and classical elements is excellent as well.

Michiko Nakaarae : Working in underglaze blue has a wonderful rhythm to it, and it’s enjoyable as a process. It allows me to express energy and movement. With overglaze enamels, I like to express a sense of playfulness. And since becoming a parent, I’ve found myself creating more whimsical and humorous motifs lately.

Hanada: Your dami shading is particularly appealing as well.

Michiko Nakaarae : During my apprenticeship, most of my time was spent doing line work. Dami was considered the most difficult technique, so I only had the opportunity to help with it occasionally.
I especially like jidami, where a broad wash is applied across the surface. Whenever I see it, I think, “Pieces with jidami really complement food beautifully.”
It’s actually quite difficult. If too much pigment pools, it turns black; if it’s too thin, that area becomes pale.
Even though there should be variations in tone, the overall effect still has to feel unified. In any case, you never truly know how it will turn out until it comes out of the kiln, so I try not to be afraid and load my brush generously with pigment.

Looking Ahead

Hanada: Is there anything you’d like to do in the future?

Michiko Nakaarae : Personally, I enjoy working by myself, but during the pandemic, being unable to meet people actually made me miss interacting with them.
I’ve started thinking that I’d like a place of my own where I can connect more directly with customers, and someday I’d love to open a small shop.
As for my work, I’d also like to try making larger pieces.

Hanada: What kind of pieces?

Michiko Nakaarae : Large jars or flower vessels, around 30 centimeters tall. I’d like to create them in underglaze blue with a contemporary feel.

Hanada: We look forward to your next exhibition.

Michiko Nakaarae : Of course I’ll continue making my standard pieces, but I’m also considering sake cups with an antique-inspired atmosphere made from different clay bodies, as well as starfish-shaped plates created from new molds.

Hanada: That sounds very exciting. Thank you very much.

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