Collection: Artist Category > The "HA" column (Shoji Hamada, etc.) > Yu Fujiwara

Born in 1932 in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Fujiwara Kei, Fujiwara Yu later became a master of Bizen ware alongside his father. Despite suffering from low vision since childhood, he was a hard worker who always took on new challenges, and after graduating from Meiji University he worked for a publishing company, but returned home when his father fell ill, and began to fully pursue the path of Bizen ware.

While building on the traditions he inherited from his father, he established his own unique style, described as "simple, clear, and bold." His pottery, with its powerful shapes and utilizing the texture of the clay, exudes a powerful presence and has earned him high praise both at home and abroad. Since the 1960s, he has held solo exhibitions in the United States, Canada, and other countries, and has conveyed the appeal of Bizen ware to the world through university lectures and speeches. His works are particularly well-received in Western museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, solidifying his international reputation.

He received numerous awards and was recognized as a holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property "Bizen Ware" in 1996. He attracted attention as the first father-son Living National Treasure in the history of Japanese pottery. He maintained a strong creative drive until his later years and engaged in a wide range of activities, leaving many works for public facilities, temples and shrines.

He passed away in 2001 at the age of 69.