Seiunzan Okada Kiln, now headed by Yuu Okada as the eighth generation, transitioned from producing porcelain Obata ware to Hagi ware during the Taisho period, but it remains one of the few traditional potters that carries on the vitality and wisdom of the people that emerged during the feudal period.

On the other hand, Okada, who had been away from Hagi since childhood due to his father's job transfers, has an unusual background, having rediscovered pottery through the eyes of someone from a different society before choosing the path of Hagi ware.

In Tokyo, where she led a busy life working for a major fisheries company, Okada's encounter with contemporary Hagi ware became a turning point in her life.

Moved by its unique clay texture and gentle glaze, he re-examined the depths of his own being and discovered a strong empathy for the pottery-making spirit passed down through his bloodline, as well as a desperate desire for expression through form.

Because his motivation was so clear from the very beginning of his pottery career, Okada did not envision his work as being based on dexterity or eccentricity.

Returning to his family business in Hagi, he dedicated himself to mastering the essential qualities of Hagi ware, from preparing the clay to shaping on the potter's wheel and firing in a climbing kiln. With the conviction and determination to fully acquire the craftsmanship necessary to surpass expectations, he pursued his artistic career with unwavering commitment.

The works, which showcase traditional Hagi ware techniques such as white glaze variations and flame-colored glazes with a flexible, modern sensibility, are a form of self-expression born from this foundation.

While Okada's tea bowls and other tea ceremony ceramics are already highly regarded for their gentle forms that reflect his sincere and sociable personality, this exhibition will reportedly feature a large number of everyday tableware items.

We hope you will enjoy the way of life of Ms. Okada, which fuses the simple strength derived from Obata ware with the beauty of traditional Hagi ware techniques.

Yasuyuki Ishizaki (Deputy Director, Yamaguchi Prefectural Hagi Museum of Art and Urakami Memorial Hall)