Watashigaraki

In 2000, Wada Morihiro was invited to participate in the Artist Residency program at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park. During his stay, he set out to create thin-walled vessels intended for firing in a traditional climbing tunnel kiln (anagama). One of the main challenges of this endeavor was to produce large-scale forms with delicate walls that could withstand the intense conditions of wood firing. Wada constructed the jagged forms using a combination of hand-building and mold-casting techniques. The clay he selected was a blend of Shinohara and finely filtered yellow clay—an ideal mixture that allowed for both ease of shaping and the development of dynamic kiln effects. The resulting vessels, with their warm hues of reddish brown and ochre and their richly textured surfaces, exemplify the distinctive qualities of Shigaraki ware. The playful title Watashigaraki merges the words watashiryū (“my own style”) and Shigaraki, conveying the meaning “my own Shigaraki.” It also echoes the Japanese phrase for “I am lucky.” The vessel’s many irregular facets showcase the expressive range of Shigaraki firing techniques, as some areas are heavily marked by kiln effects while others remain unaltered.

One of the most celebrated clay artists of his generation, Wada Morihiro explored an exceptionally wide range of surface decoration techniques, including slip application, inlay, wax-resist, carving, underglaze painting, blue-and-white (sometsuke), and sprayed or blown-on glaze. After training for several years in Kyoto under the influential ceramicist Tomimoto Kenkichi (1886–1963), Wada relocated to Ibaraki Prefecture and settled in the ceramic town of Kasama. This move marked a turning point in his career, allowing him to move beyond the classical aesthetics of Kyoto and cultivate a distinctive visual language. His motifs and techniques increasingly resonated with the expressive, modernist spirit found in the work of Kamoda Shōji (1933–1983).