25321 KOYAMA Fujio (Nanban Shu-ke (Made in Shuri, Okinawa in 1969))

Height 4.7cm

Diameter 6.3cm

Fujio Koyama, who was famous as a leading researcher of ancient ceramics and was active as a ceramic artist while cultivating friendships with modern and contemporary craftsmen, produced works in a variety of genres, utilizing his outstanding taste and technique, as well as the vast knowledge he acquired through tireless study.

In September 1969, Koyama went to Taiwan to give a lecture on "Chinese Ceramics in Japan" at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, and on the way there, he stopped off in Shuri, Okinawa. Here in the village of "Yamuchin," in addition to glazed Joyachi, there was also a type of Nanban-style yakishime called Arayachi. Before the war, Arayachi kilns accounted for 80% of the total, but with the postwar folk art movement, colorful glazed Joyachi became popular as a souvenir, and this reversed. Koyama fell in love with unglazed yakishime Arayachi and made pottery at the Arakaki Eiyo Kiln in Yomitan. Clay from Shuri Ishimine, owned by Arakaki, was used for the Nanban-style Arayachi. Depending on the location of the kiln, Koyama was satisfied with the soft yakishime that was fired to a bright red color in the style of "hannera." Later, inspired by Koyama Fujio, Nakagawa Isaku (1899-2000) continued to pursue Okinawan Arayaki, and started making Nanban-yaki ware in Okinawa in 1972. In 1977, he built a climbing kiln near Chibana Castle and started firing red-fired Arayaki. This was the year after Koyama had enjoyed Arayaki in Okinawa.