Koichi Tamura
Born in 1918. Died in 1987. Born in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Design, Crafts, Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1942. In 1946, he studied under Tomimoto Kenkichi at the Matsukaze Research Institute. In 1950, he became a technician at the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramics Guidance Center in Mashiko, where he was involved in production and research for two years. In 1953, he built a climbing kiln in Sano City and became an independent ceramic artist. He won numerous awards at the Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Exhibition and the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition. In 1967, he won the Grand Prix at the Istanbul International Ceramics Exhibition. In 1986, he was recognized as a holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) of "Iron Painting."
