Komine Pottery

Komine Pottery (小峰窯, Komine Gama) is a Japanese pottery manufacturer and kiln located in Mashiko, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture. It produces Mashiko ware, a traditional Japanese craft pottery. The company was founded in 1946 by Morio Komine, who purchased an existing kiln and established a limited partnership called Mashiko Seitosho. Over three generations, the Komine family has expanded the business to include not only pottery production but also a restaurant, a parking area, and pottery workshops. The second generation, Yutaka Komine, established the Komine Kiln Center (小峰窯元センター) to accommodate the growing operations, and the third generation, Kazuhiro Komine, became a certified traditional craftsman of Mashiko ware in 2014. In 2021, the pottery opened a select shop called nagi, which sells original Komine pottery, works by nearby Mashiko artists, and various miscellaneous goods. Today, Komine Pottery is one of the representative kilns in Mashiko, offering hands-on pottery experiences such as wheel throwing, hand-building, and painting, attracting many tourists and families.

Komine Pottery was founded in 1946 by Morio Komine, who purchased a kiln in Mashiko and established a limited partnership called Mashiko Seitosho. Morio was born in 1920 in Karasuyama, Tochigi Prefecture, and graduated from Chuo University in 1941. After serving in the military during World War II, he returned and started the pottery business. He was known for his painting skills, using a technique called glaze inlay, and signed his works with the name Kentōfu, meaning 'swordsmanship and pottery man.' He also ran a restaurant and pottery classes. The second generation, Yutaka Komine, born in 1948, expanded the business by establishing the Komine Kiln Center in the Dozoe area of Mashiko, which included a large restaurant, sales shop, and pottery classes with numerous wheels. The third generation, Kazuhiro Komine, born in 1977, joined the family business in 1999 after graduating from Seibu Bunri Information Junior College and completing training at the Tochigi Prefectural Ceramics Guidance Institute. In 2014, he was certified as a traditional craftsman of Mashiko ware, the youngest of five at the time. He developed 15 original glazes for the pottery classes. In 2021, the pottery opened a select shop called nagi, renovating the sales space to offer original Komine pottery, works by local artists, and miscellaneous goods.

• 2021

  Select shop nagi opened.

• 2014

  Kazuhiro Komine certified as a traditional craftsman of Mashiko ware.

• 1994

  Pottery classes began at the new Komine Kiln Center.

• 1946

  Morio Komine founded Mashiko Seitosho (later Komine Pottery) in Mashiko, Tochigi.

Traditional Mashiko ware kiln with hands-on pottery experiences and a modern select shop.

• Mashiko ware pottery

  Traditional Japanese craft pottery produced by Komine Pottery.

• Pottery experience classes

  Hands-on workshops for wheel throwing, hand-building, and painting.

• Select shop nagi

  A shop selling original Komine pottery, works by local artists, and miscellaneous goods.

1. 1Komine Pottery - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2小峰窯 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org