KIMURA HAJIME
KIMURA HAJIME
At a Glance
| Location | Toki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan |
| Founded | Since 2008 he is the sixth-generation head of the Kanejuu pottery and ceramic artist. |
| Style | Mino |
| Kiln | Gas |
| Clay | Iron-rich clay from Mino, partly sourced and prepared personally. |
| Glaze | Two self-developed glazes, Ko-Mino and Ruri-Mino, based on Ki-Seto, a traditional Mino glaze made from ash and iron oxide. |
Fortuitous coincidences
Mino and Tokkuri Production
Coming from a pottery family in Toki specialising in the production of shōchū flasks (tokkuri), Kimura Hajime has inherited both a strong sense of precision and the techniques of the Mino tradition.
Tatsächlich ist Mino eine der bedeutendsten Keramikregionen Japans mit einer langen Historie. Mino ist bekannt für 4 Keramikstile: Ki-Seto, Seto-Guro, Shino und Oribe. Seit der Momoyama-zeit lag der Fokus hauptsächlich auf Teezeremonie-Geschirr, aber auch funktionelle Ware wurde produziert. In those days, different regions specialised in particular types of production. Kimura Hajime’s family was based in the Tokkuri district.
The production of tokkuri demands a high level of technical expertise. It requires precise knowledge of how clay and glaze behave during firing in order to meet the legally regulated dimensions of handmade shōchū flasks. As natural materials, clay, firing conditions, and glaze are all influenced by a range of factors—such as weather, kiln atmosphere, and material composition—and can therefore behave differently with each firing.
In 2008, Kimura Hajime took over the family pottery as its sixth-generation head.
Creative glazes: Ko-Mino and Ruri-Mino
Kimura Hajime also began developing his own artistic at that time. His work focuses on revisiting traditional glazes and reinterpreting them in a contemporary visual language. His two signature glazes are Ko-Mino (“old Mino”) and Ruri-Mino (“lapis lazuli Mino”).
Both are based on Ki-Seto (“Yellow Seto”), one of the most closely associated glazes with the Mino tradition. Originally developed from ash glazes during the Momoyama period, Ki-Seto evolved into its characteristic rich yellow glaze through the addition of iron oxide and oxidation firing.
Ko-Mino, a glaze newly developed by Kimura Hajime, is a reinterpretation of Ki-Seto. It produces a wonderfully deep and richly nuanced yellow-brown tone that, on closer inspection, reveals countless tiny crystalline patterns nestled against one another like snowflakes, creating a vivid sense of movement.
The Ruri glaze is a cobalt-enriched variation of the Ko-Mino glaze. Depending on the thickness of the application, its captivating lapis lazuli-like shimmer emerges with greater or lesser intensity.
Kimura Hajime spares no effort in the preparation of his glazes. He personally prepares the ash base from a variety of woods, such as kunugi and nara oak, and has also experimented with ash made from edamame pods. Guided by a strong sense of sustainability, Kimura-san likewise looks for ways to collaborate with fellow ceramicists—for example by reusing ash from wood firings.
Clay Variations
Kimura Hajime is equally uncompromising in his approach to clay. For his more experimental works, he personally sources and prepares iron-rich clay himself. Because the characteristics of this clay can vary greatly, however, he works together with a local clay supplier for his tableware in order to ensure the consistency and durability required for everyday use.
The local clay of Mino is highly prized and much sought after. So much so, in fact, that there have recently been repeated reports of tsuchi dorobō—literally “clay thieves”—illegally excavating clay from the area.
Patience and time…
The productions of Kanejuu are fired in large gas kilns, as are Kimura-san’s more creative works. Ki-Seto is generally fired in an oxidising atmosphere; however, in order to achieve his distinctive effects, Kimura Hajime alternates between oxidising and reducing atmospheres during the firing process.
Like a delicately slow-cooked dish, the pieces are fired gently over two days at moderate temperatures of up to 1200°C. This ensures both durability and density. At the same time, the glazes radiate a distinctive warmth and fluid vitality — a hallmark of Kimura Hajime’s work.
