A lesured old man, Shiho's talking over tea.

A lesured old man, Shiho's talking over tea.

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Month02 Day18 Year2010 (Thu) No.53 (Anagama)

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Month08 Day03 Year2009 (Mon) No.52 (Anagama)

Unloading day (April 28th)

The kiln was sealed on April 20th, and we had an unloading day on April 28th. Before the opening kiln, my guests usually have a lunch together. I always have over 30 guests to participate to the opening kiln. I had four guests coming from over sea at this time. I also am a priest for Jodo sect of Buddhism. So I pray to Buddha before doing something.

About one o'clock, we opened the kiln. All of my guests saw my works inside the kiln. Some person took some photos and video. I always am opening my window.

Month05 Day01 Year2006 (Mon) No.30 (Anagama)

The 4th day and the 5th day of Shiho's firing.

The firing came to the 4th day, and real heat is attacking us. The condition of the firing is going very well according to Shiho's thought. An air vent is a little bit smaller than usual. So This firing is a strong reduction firing. It usually is starting to melt the ash pouring on the works at the 4th night. But it's getting late for the strong reduction firing as I thought.

My assistants are working an eight-hour shift. Mr Ogawa's shift is from 5:00 o'clock to 13:00 o'clock. The next assistant is Ms. Shiozawa and Mr.Hora. Ms. Shiozawa has never had an anagama firing. But she is very good at stoking. Just before Mr. Ogawa change his shift to Ms. Shiozawa, he sweep around the kiln clean. All of Shiho's assistants do that.

At the evening of the 5th day, the natural ash poured on my works were starting to melt. And a shape of the flame coming out of the chimney is getting brighter and brighter.
I would like to keep this condition.
At 23:00 o'clock of the 5th day, the temperature reached 1250 centigrade. You should look at the fire flame and smoke carefully, so the kiln teach you the condition of the kiln.

Month04 Day15 Year2006 (Sut) No.34 (Anagama)

The 2nd day and the 3rd day of Shiho's firing.

Today(Apr.13) is the 3rd day of Shiho's firing. Before everything, I would like to explain about the outline of Shiho's firing.
Shiho always has over ten-day firing. The longest one was fifteen-day firing.
Ten-day firing is planned this time. We need about 20 tons firewoods for it. You can see the 20 tons firewoods on this photo. We will be burning all of these firewoods. We have to take the firewoods to the kiln, and also we have to chop them while having a firing. We have stoking the firewoods and other much works.

We burn the firewoods in the undermouth from the start to the evening of the second day. After we were burning the firewoods in the undermouth over 24 hours, the temperature of kiln will stagnate. At this time, the temperature reached about 400 centigrade. We moved from the undermouth to the upper mouth and closed the undermouth with fire bricks. And we made an air hole at the center of the undermouth. The size of the hole is difference according to the weather, air condition and so on. This decision is one of the most important thing.

After we moved to upper mouth, we stoke three armful of firewood into the kiln. Around this time, all clay works are very weak. So we stoke the firewood carefully. Don't hit the firewood to my works.

I took this photo at 16:00 of the third day. The temperature is about 850 centigrade. Shiho doesn't use
a thermometer. So I have to see the feature of fire flame coming from the chimney and spy hole.

Month04 Day13 Year2006 (Thu) No.33 (Anagama)

The first day of anagama firing.

The loading kiln was finished about 5:30 on April 11. And we lighted up the firewoods at 6 o'clock.
I mainly made up tea bowls, pots and water jar for this firing. Of corse I build another works.
What I called Iga ware are almost water jars and pots.
I will introduce three staffs for this firing.Main person is Mr. Hironobu Ogawa who was independent from my apprenticeship 10 years ago.

Another person is Mr. Hiroyuki Hora who is a president of rental kiln company in Shigaraki. And Ms. Shiozawa who came from Chiba prefecture. She has her own anagama kiln. I always have a potter coming from over sea for my firing. But there is no Westerner for this firing. Because a professional potter coming from Germany was here just before the firing, but he ran away from my studio. So only Japanese potters have this firing.

Ms. Shihozawa's shift is from 13:00 o'clock to 21:00 o'clock. Mr. Hora's shift is from 21:00 to 5:00 o'clock. And Mr. Ogawa's shift is from 5:00 to 13:00.
I would show you the detail of the process of Shiho's firing.

Month04 Day11 Year2006 (Tue) No.32 (Anagama)

Starting to loading kiln.

Mr. Ogawa, Hora　and Ms. Shiozawa gathered at Shiho's studio to have a loading today. We've started it from today. Mr. Hora preparing the clay for loading. They brought all of my works to the front of the kiln.

I couldn't make my works for one and a half years. Because I suffered from gangrene since the middle of Novenmer 2004 until the end of Feb. 2006. Fortunately, I recovered from the illness.
So I am able to have this firing.This time, I've an assistant from Germany. He has his own anagama kiln in Germany, and also he had his anagama firing.
We need three days for loading my works into the kiln. We will have the ten-day firing from April 11. My guests are wanting to see my works coming out of the kiln.
I will be reporting here about the firing.

Month04 Day08 Year2006 (Sut) No.31 (Anagama)

Ten-day anagama firing from Apr. 11.

I'm very busy, because I will have ten-day anagama firing from Apr. 11. I am sitting in front of the handwheel every day. I wanted to have a rest for a moment. So I went shopping with my wife Keiko yesterday. It was very good time for me.
I always have some visitors during the daytime, so I have to make my works from the evening to the midnight. I had two guests today.
They asked me, "while you are making your works, what do you think about? Many guests has asked me the same question. When I got the question, I asked me the same question. "What do you think while you are making your works?" In the other words, I'm making my works without thinking. So I couldn't reply immediately to them. I will show you how to make my works.

I have to say before everything, I always am making my works with coil building.
I do a spiral wedging and a final wedging, then I take a handful of clay and put it on the center of a handwheel, and flatten it out to a thickness of about 1-1.5 cm for making bottom part. And turning the handwheel, I cut off the clay to make a circle. At this time, I decided what I make from now, Then I make something that is very rough with coil building. During this time, I am not thinking anything. There is no design in my head.

I'm only thinking to build tea bowl by the same thickness. After it all was made the same thickness, lubricate the inside and out side of the tea bowl with water. And support the out side with left hand and placing the right hand in the bottom of the tea bowl. And throwing the tea bowl up at a breath. That's it. At that time, I don't think to make a good thing. I pay heed to inside of the tea bowl when I am throwing.

Month03 Day25 Year2006 (Sut) No.26 (Anagama)

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