The job of being a production area coordinator is not something people are used to hearing about. Mari Hikasa loves Japanese culture, sensibilities, and pottery, and is spreading the word about her beauty to many people both in Japan and abroad. As a coordinator whose job is to "communicate" and "connect," she meets many people and introduces carefully selected things with her eyes that have seen many things. Her thoughts and sensibilities in Hikasa remind us of what is important.
Written by Mari Hikasa
A long journey began with the shock of "picking up a bowl and eating." This is a movement that Japanese people do unconsciously, but in other countries, people do not hold a bowl in their hands when eating. I will never forget the surprise I felt when I realized this again. It is only in this country that there are ways to appreciate having your own tea bowl, cultivating pottery, and kintsugi. I can't help but wonder about the relationship with the sensual and intimate vessels that can only be found in Japan.
As a coordinator, I work closely with pottery makers, makers, artists, and local governments in ceramic production areas (mainly Seto and Tokoname), and connect them with consumption areas. Since he was young, he has loved pottery and has traveled to various production areas. What struck him about one production area was the great distance between the maker and the user. The maker should be right next to him, but he can't quite find the pottery he wants. So he decided to do something that would help him close that distance.
An information magazine that connects makers and users (published by the Seto Ware Promotion Association). It delves into Seto's pottery in an easy-to-understand manner, introducing people, things, and things from various angles. In charge of planning and supervision.
When working in a production area, you may come across unexpected treasures. What may seem like air to the creator is exciting and valuable to the user. I started searching for treasures, empathizing with the creators of the things that can only be found over many years.
Tokoname, the production area for teapots, faces Ise Bay, where nori cultivation is popular. Oyster shells are necessary for seeding seaweed, but once their purpose is finished, they become waste. Therefore, a method of adding patterns using powdered oyster shells was established, and vessels that fit modern lifestyles have been developed. I am drawn to the techniques unique to production areas near the sea. The treasure lies at your feet.
The Tokoname ware "Ban" series uses oyster shells to create a pattern that looks like snow falling gently. It also receives high praise from chefs.
Even if you look around the world, there is no country with as many different types of pottery in terms of color, shape, and purpose as Japan. Furthermore, housewives use them according to the season. What's amazing is that it's not just a special space like a restaurant, but is rooted in everyday life. In other countries, it is beautiful to see the same tableware lined up on a table, but in Japan, beauty is found in the way that vessels of different shapes and materials come together to create a single world. This is connected to the ``wa'' that Japanese people value.
I felt that there was a long distance between the maker and the user, but being in the production area makes it clear that this is only physically and that they are close in spirit. The creator pays close attention to the weight and feel of the rice when served, and thinks about how to make the tea look beautiful when brewing it. Not only is it practical, but it is typical of Japan to keep an eye on the future. I believe that it has the power to move people across the ocean.
Tokoname teapot. Any Japanese person would find the sensation of the lid sliding down smoothly, as if it were sucking, feeling good. The craftsmanship is so solid and delicate that you can't believe it's handmade. (Teapot: Jinshu Toen, made by Seiji Ito)
Food and utensils are born from the earth, and humans return to the earth. Young children instinctively love soil. There is also horticultural therapy and pottery therapy, and you can feel the power of soil, purification, and healing. Japanese hospitality is an exchange of feelings between the recipient and the recipient. On a cold day, brewing hojicha in a cylindrical ceramic teacup and serving it warms both your fingertips and your heart. I believe that gentle and delicate sensitivity can heal others and save their hearts. I would like to unravel the relationship between the Japanese vessel and the mind from both a scientific approach and the perspective of Western and Eastern medicine. I am looking forward to my future journey to explore the possibilities of soil.
(Titles omitted)
Profile
Mari Hikasa
Japanese color representative
Born in Okayama Prefecture in 1977. He completed his master's degree at Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine. He was involved in product planning, development, and sales promotion business at the Food Development Research Institute of Pokka Corporation Co., Ltd. (currently Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Co., Ltd.). Afterwards, he studied ceramics at Aichi Prefectural Ceramics Technical College, and launched ``Wa no Iro'' in 2007. As a production area coordinator, he handles businesses such as brand creation, product development, information dissemination, exhibition/event planning, and store displays for pottery manufacturers, artists, local governments, organizations, and organizations. He also uses his network with other industries to support planning and market development, and teaches and writes about tableware and food.
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