{"id":81818,"date":"2021-09-08T18:23:39","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T09:23:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=81818"},"modified":"2021-09-10T09:50:36","modified_gmt":"2021-09-10T00:50:36","slug":"japanese-ceramic-kyoshi-matsuda-okinawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/japanese-ceramic-kyoshi-matsuda-okinawa\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlocking the Secrets of the Japanese Ceramic Art with Kyoshi Matsuda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Okinawan dialect, yachimun<\/em> (\u3084\u3061\u3080\u3093) means pottery<\/strong>. Its history dates back hundreds of years when the islands were still the Ryukyu Kingdom<\/a>. Yachimun<\/em> is part of Okinawa’s identity and highly valued among locals and visitors<\/strong> alike for its rustic design, which consists of a series of small islands off the coast of the southernmost side of Japan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But behind the simple shapes of these Japanese ceramics lie stories, passion, and a lot of effort. The soil treatment, the search for natural pigments, and even the choice of wood used during the firing are all part of the laborious work process <\/strong>of the artisans who dedicate their lives to creating art from clay. Yomitan village is home to Yachimun no Sato (\u3084\u3061\u3080\u3093\u306e\u91cc), Okinawa’s pottery mecca, where I had the honor of meeting Kyoshi Matsuda, a craftsman who, after discovering his passion for Okinawa\u2019s soil, has devoted his life to it. Some of Matsuda’s crafts are available at Voyapon Store<\/a>, bringing part of Okinawa’s history and traditions available to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kyoshi Matsuda and His Encounter with the Okinawa Earth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“I never studied much. To be honest, I didn\u2019t like studying. The only thing I know about is clay<\/strong>\u201d. But Kyoshi Matsuda\u2019s words do not reflect at all the man in front of me. Experience and effort are etched onto his face. His tanned skin speaks volumes about the countless hours he\u2019s spent throughout his life working in the sun and wind. His firm, rough hands and the traces of mud on his nails reveal his love for clay and pottery. And his eyes… His eyes reflect wisdom, history, and passion. “I was born a few years after the Battle of Okinawa<\/a>, and during my childhood, the island was still controlled by the American military<\/strong>. The only thing people talked about at that time was the war and the army” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(…) “When I was a student I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and although I sought advice from my teachers, I had no passion for anything. So I decided to try my luck in Tokyo and enrolled in a graphic design school. Arriving in Tokyo for the first time, I found a different world. There were people everywhere and many technological advances. Everything was new to me”. When Matsuda-san talks about his youth, I listen without interrupting him with my questions. I don’t want him to stop telling his story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kyoshi
Kyoshi Matsuda is one of the craftspeople in Yomitan village who has devoted his life to Okinawa’s pottery craft at Yachimun no Sato (\u3084\u3061\u3080\u3093\u306e\u91cc).<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n