This is the studio and gallery of Soju Kiln, where fresh and gentle colors and modern designs are on display. Sozugama is an original brand established by a couple: Sozugi Wakuha, a fourth generation Kiyomizu-yaki potter, and Madoka, a native of Koishiwara-yaki potteries in Fukuoka.

My grandfather, WAKUBA Sochin I, apprenticed himself to Mr. SUWA Suzan I, a leading figure in Kyoto ware celadon, and learned the art of celadon. From there, he was succeeded by his father and mother, and I took over as the fourth generation 17 years ago. I was very torn between following in his footsteps or not, but I was determined not to let the beautiful blue color of celadon die out, so after graduating from college, I began attending a pottery school," says Suh. It was at that school that he met Madoka.

I was born into a fourteen-generation Koishiwara pottery family and had every intention of following in their footsteps. I went to school in Kyoto because I knew I would never leave Fukuoka," laughs Madoka.

They married soon after graduating from school. Ms. Su Su worked on celadon porcelain, aiming for the beautiful blue color expressed by her grandfather, the first generation, and her works were mainly tea utensils. She said, "It was tough to make a living on that alone, so I had to take on part-time jobs as well. It was then that my son, who was in the early grades of elementary school at the time, expressed an interest in taking over as the fifth generation. I knew I had to make sure the baton was passed on properly, and my son's words turned me on," says Madoka.

From there, the couple decided to change their way of working with an eye to the future. Taking advantage of the fact that they both come from two different ceramic regions, Kiyomizu-yaki from Kyoto and Koishiwara-yaki from Koishiwara, they launched Sobugama, a brand that combines the skills of the two ceramic studios.

It was a challenge from the very beginning to find a way to present celadon, which is not usually associated with everyday use, as tableware. The deep blue color of celadon porcelain, which has been passed down from generation to generation, is expressed by a technique called "kneading celadon" in which pigment is mixed into the porcelain clay. We then combined this with the Koishiwara pottery technique of tobikanna to create a new type of vessel," says Soju.

The hi-kanna, which uses the edge of a plane while turning a potter's wheel to make a series of grinding marks on the fabric, has a unique geometric pattern that gives celadon porcelain an expressive appearance. The combination of celadon porcelain, which has a noble image, and hibikanna, a technique of folk craft vessels, is found only here in Japan.
The two artists say that the new celadon vessels have a friendly atmosphere and have broadened the appeal of celadon.

This year marks seven years since the birth of Soju Kiln. Along with product development, the company has expanded the possibilities of pottery through a number of initiatives, including the development of overseas sales channels, the establishment of a ceramic jewelry division, and collaborations with other industries.

Four years ago, we renovated our studio to create a space where the studio and gallery coexist. We wanted to convey the background of our craftsmanship, so visitors can see how we actually make our products," says Madoka.
The two potter's wheels are made in the Kyoto style by Sohui, who sits cross-legged and turns the wheel with a right-handed rotation on one side, and in the Fukuoka style by Madoka, who sits on a chair and turns the wheel with a left-handed rotation on the other side. Along with the difference in technique, we would like to feel the story behind the vessels created by the two potteries.

This is a brand created by two potters, Soke Wonami, the fourth generation of a Kiyomizu-yaki potter who specializes in celadon porcelain, and Madoka, who is from a Koishiwara-yaki potter's kiln in Fukuoka. They aim to create vessels that combine functionality and beauty by combining the techniques of the two potteries, such as "kneaded celadon" mixed with pigment and Koishiwara-yaki's hibikanna (plane) technique. His wide range of works, including the Jomon series featuring clay figures and other motifs, and ceramic jewelry, fascinate customers.

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