Utsuwa Katachi - The Beauty Within

Japanese bowls, plates, pots, and ‘katakuchi’ (traditional sake bowls) each possess distinct shapes and names, varying according to their use. The phrase “beauty of use” was coined to describe the simplicity and elegance of ‘utsuwa’ (ceramic vessels) made to be held. However, certain aspects are often overlooked when focusing only on its intended use, an elegance unseen if only colour and shape are considered. This book was produced over more than three years and documents the work of more than seventeen ceramists. The clay, the glaze, the condition of the potter’s wheel, and even the weather on the day the object was made all combine to capture a moment in time.

Publication Date: January 13, 2024
Author: Tomoo Shoken
Photography: Yusuke Saibu
Book Design: Fuyuki Hashizume
Size: 273 mm (height) x 215 mm (width)
Pages: 160 pages, full color for the artwork pages
Binding: Softcover, with jacket
Text: Japanese & English
Book Code: ISBN978-4-903348-69-8 C0072

© Tomoo Shoken