Shokagama

Along a cherry-lined river in Japan’s Tottori Prefecture lies Shokagama, a kiln that has been shaping clay since 1903. What began with the discovery of fine local deposits has grown into a legacy spanning five generations, with techniques passed carefully from parent to child. Today it is guided by Yuri Ando, who apprenticed under her father before refining her skills at the Nara College of Arts and the Industrial Research Center of Shiga Prefecture. Grounded in tradition yet open to reinvention, she brings a painter’s sensibility to her work, favoring luminous cobalt glazes and creating pieces that bridge time. This pottery is rooted in heritage, but resonant in contemporary life.