Kawai Kanjiro 河井寛次郎 1890-1966

Kawai Kanjiro was a leading figure of the Mingei (民藝) movement—Japan’s folk craft movement—and a major force in the development of studio pottery in Kyoto. Deeply influenced by Chinese and Korean ceramic traditions, he employed an anagama (wood-fired tunnel kiln) and created highly expressive works characterized by techniques such as tsutsugaki (slip-trailing), ronuki (wax-resist decoration), and hakeme (white slip brushing). A firm believer in the Mingei ideal that craftsmanship should transcend individual recognition, he opposed competitive awards and declined the designation of Living National Treasure during his lifetime.