One of the pioneers in initiating the Kaiseki tableware in Shigaraki-ware that centers on large pottery like pot.

 

 　Mr. Kenzo Ogawa acquired basic techniques from Industrial arts institute of Kyoto in the year 1960 and later went on to become a potter under the guidance of his father Mr. Seihou Ogawa, the third-generation heir to Shigaraki Hishisan-touen Pottery. He studied "Tradition of ancient Shigaraki-ware" from his father who was involved in the reappearance of the tea pottery (cups etc.) that were used in Momoyama and Muromachi eras, using ancient Sloping kiln and the technology that was handed down in his family from generations.

 

 　As a pottery artist, he later got influenced by the pottery artist, " Rosanjin Kitaoji", a famous gourmet and admirer of beauty, and started working on Kaiseki tableware. He, at the same time, started making tableware from the year 1973. He started experimenting on making Japanese ancient tableware using the elements "Feel of Shigaraki" and "Usability" based on Kaiseki tableware

 

To make genuine Japanese tableware, he got guidance from Mr. Tansai Nushi, teacher in Oniwayaki (Oniwa-ware) on "How to make pottery" and guidance from Mr. Kaichi Tsuji of high-class Kyoto-based traditional Japanese restaurant "Tsujitome" on "How to dish up the food and select the utensils for beautiful layout". Also, he got the guidance from Mr.Masatarou Onishi (Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute), the glazing expert, to make Japanese tableware which has the feel of Shigaraki-ware, and to overcome, by devising the art of glazing, the weak point of the yakishime-ware made by firing at the temperature of more or less 1,250 degrees centigrade because generally speaking, pottery without glazing "easily gets natural color change on the surface and has high water absorbability” due to the material soil/clay’s own characteristics.

 

Thus he established the original style "Kyoto Shigaraki ware" with fusion with "Unglazed sheen of Shigaraki" and "Tenderness in Kyo yaki (Kyoto ware)".

 

 　The art pieces of Kenzo Ogawa pottery are not excessively decorative and will be in unpretentious style that attracts exquisite charm of colors and glaze, but if they are taken in one's hand, one can sense the serene presence, they are of not much weight and are not much light.