Artisan Profile
Mr. Masanori Fukumoto (14th Generation)
Awards
- 1993.05.25 National Accreditation as a Skilled Artisan
- 1993.11.10 Superior Skill - Minister of Labour
- 1997.02.20 Cultural Treasure - Nagasaki Prefecture
Appearances before the Imperial Family
- 1959 Presentation of "Koro" incense burner in commemoration of the wedding of the Crown Prince
- 1961 Presentation of "Sukashibori" Pagoda to His Majesty the Emperor by the prefecture of Nagasaki
Inheriting the Secret of Sukashibori
Fukumoto Masanori has been handed down the secret of "sukashibori", a technique used in many of his works, which are ideal as decorations, and are intended to be placed in Japanese "tokonoma" alcoves.
About Sukashibori
Beginning with the Earth...
From the moment that the clay is taken from the earth in Amakusa in Kumamoto prefecture, the process of making these porcelain works begins. If the clay is even a bit too hard or soft, completing a work with it becomes impossible.
Limited Time...
After the clay is placed in the mold and starts to dry, the process of punching the thousands of holes immediately begins. The space between each of these holes is a mere 1 millimeter, and even the motion caused by breathing can be enough to disturb the process. In addition, time is limited before the material dries, after which point no more work can be done.
Only a few of these works can be created in a year, and among those, generally only one is capable of satisfying the distinguishing eye of Mr. Fukamoto. We invite you to visit the shop and see these painstaking works in person.