Tokuda Yasokichi

In 1923, when he was a teenager, Tokuda Yasokichi II was adopted by Tokuda Yasokichi I.{{Cite web |title=Tokuda Yasokichi 2nd 二代 徳田八十吉 – Dictionary of Japanese Potters |url=https://japanese-ceramics.com/tokuda-yasokichi-ii-%e5%be%b3%e7%94%b0%e5%85%ab%e5%8d%81%e5%90%89-2%e4%bb%a3/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |language=en-US}} He learned Kutani ware from his father and demonstrated his abilities by submitting works to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Craft Exhibition. After the death of his father, in 1956, he took on the formal name Tokuda Yasokichi II. In 1975, he was certified as an intangible cultural property designated by Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1988 he handed over the Yasokichi title to his eldest son Masahiko, after which he called himself Momokichi.

Masahiko was the first son of Tokuda Yasokichi II. He began learning ceramics when he was 20 under the instruction of both his father and grandfather. When Masahiko was 22 years old, his grandfather is said to have passed a document to him containing the secret formulas to preparing over 100 different shades of glaze colours.{{Cite web |title=耀彩花器 Yasokichi Tokuda｜ARTISTS｜GALLERY ASUKA |url=https://gallery-asuka.jp/english/artists/sandaime_yasokichi01.php |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=gallery-asuka.jp}} He is said to have interpreted the Kutani in a new way with abstract, colourful designs.{{Cite web |title=Japanese Potter - Tokuda Yasokichi III (Kutani Ware) |url=http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/tokuda-yasokichi-jt.html |access-date=22 April 2021 |website=E-yakimono.net}} In 1977, he received the Grand Prize for his work "Yosaibachi," exhibited at the 24th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. In 1982, Masahiko succeeded his father and formally became Tokuda Yasokichi III.

In 1986, he was named a Bearer of Important Intangible Cultural Assets by Ishikawa Prefecture for his Kutani ware. In the 1980's, after switching over to an electric kiln, he made a mistake during a firing and forgot to switch the kiln off at the normal time. As a consequence when the error was finally caught, the ceramics within the kiln had been heated to a far higher temperature than normal and held at that temperature a long time. This caused the glazes to liquify and adjacent glazes to blend together. Instead of an abrupt colour change between different glaze colours, there was now a colour gradient. Further, the piece as a whole took on the appearance of blown glass. To make some of his advanced works, he first created a fine pattern, termed komon, inlayed into the work before glazing.

The blending of multiple glaze colours, yusai, was termed saiyu. According to the Handbook for the Appreciation of Japanese Traditional Crafts, the term saiyu is the more proper of the two terms and is characterized by delicate shading and a beautiful contrast of glaze colours that fuse together into a gradient upon a bisque that was previously fired at a high temperature.{{Cite web |title=Ceramics｜Japan Kogei Association |url=https://www.nihonkogeikai.or.jp/en/ceramics |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=www.nihonkogeikai.or.jp}} In 1997 Tokuda Yasokichi III was recognized as a Living National Treasure for his saiyu glaze technique.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirviss.com/exception/info|title=Joan B Mirviss LTD | Japanese Fine Art | Japanese Ceramics|website=Mirviss.com|access-date=22 April 2021}}{{Cite web |url=http://onishigallery.com/tokuda-yasokichi-iii |title=Tokuda Yasokichi III (1933–2009) | ONISHI GALLERY | New York |access-date=1 August 2016 |archive-date=13 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813013551/http://onishigallery.com/tokuda-yasokichi-iii |url-status=dead }} His works are held in many museums, including the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.{{Cite web |url=http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search#!/search?artist=Tokuda%20Yasokichi%20III$Tokuda%20Yasokichi%20III |title=Collection | the Metropolitan Museum of Art |access-date=1 August 2016 |archive-date=6 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206180629/http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search#!/search?artist=Tokuda%20Yasokichi%20III$Tokuda%20Yasokichi%20III |url-status=dead }}

Suntory, a Japanese whisky manufacturer, commissioned Yasokichi III to produce a limited addition of 150 saiyu style glazed bottles named “Hekiyo” for a 35 year-old Hibiki whiskey blend.{{Cite web |title=Bonhams : Hibiki ceramic-35 year old-Tokuda Yasokichi III |url=https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26713/lot/142/hibiki-ceramic-35-year-old-tokuda-yasokichi-iii/ |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=www.bonhams.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Buy Suntory Hibiki whiskey 35 Year Old Arita Edition online |url=https://whiskeyonline-collection.com/product/hibiki-35-year-old-kutani-decanter-tokuda-yasokichi-iii/ |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=WHISKEY ONLINE COLLECTION |language=en-US}}

• Early works when he was known as Masahiko ending around 1982
• 1982 after being recognized as Tokuda Yasokichi III until around 1991
• In 1991 his signature style changed indicating the work was "Made by Yasokichi" {{Cite web |title=Kutani ware living national treasure Yasokichi Tokuda, third generation |url=https://www.artkaitori.com/staff-blog/%E4%B9%9D%E8%B0%B7%E7%84%BC%E3%81%AE%E4%BA%BA%E9%96%93%E5%9B%BD%E5%AE%9D%E3%80%80%E4%B8%89%E4%BB%A3-%E5%BE%B3%E7%94%B0%E5%85%AB%E5%8D%81%E5%90%89/ |website=Art Kaitori}}
• In 1997 he added the Japanese character saku after he was designated a Living National Treasure

Additionally, there are works that appear to have been produced by Tokuda Yasokichi III that produced by firms like the [https://musubikiln.com/collections/kutani-saiyu/products/blue-glaze-kutani-japanese-flower-vase Musubi Kiln] located in the Nara Prefecture. Works like these tend to be either unsigned or produced with a red marking for the firm. The firm Musubi Kiln utilizes the term saiyu for Yasokichi III's innovation.{{Cite web |title=Kutani Ware Styles Born from Japan's Modernization |url=https://musubikiln.com/blogs/column/top-7-kutani-ware-styles-you-should-know |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=MUSUBI KILN |language=en}}

Yasokichi III was succeeded by his daughter Junko .{{Cite web |last=Karasawa |first=Masahiro |title=Communicating the Beauty of Japan: The Pottery of Tokuda Yasokichi IV |url=https://www.onishigallery.com/usr/library/documents/main/artists/68/tokuda-yasokichi-iv_catalog_onishi.pdf |website=The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo}} Junko studied Kutani Pottery in her twenties at Ishikawa Prefectural Institute.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-29 |title=Adventuring with Ceramics- Life as Tokuda Yasokichi, and the Traditions of "Japan Kutani" Ware |url=https://www.tfwsa.or.jp/post/tokuda-yasokichi |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Gen De Art |language=en}} She reports she was greatly influenced by artist Nakamura Kinpei from Kanazawa who has created many works in the Tokyo-yaki style. In 2009, her work was selected for the traditional Japanese crafts exhibition. In 2010, she formally changed her name becoming Tokuda Yasokichi IV, to prevent it from becoming extinct. As a female head, she is exceptional among ceramic family dynasties in Japan.{{Cite web|url=http://japanesedesign.pl/2012/tokuda-yasokichi-iii/|title=Tokuda Yasokichi III|website=Japanesedesign.pl|date=14 September 2012|access-date=22 April 2021}} In general, saiyu glazed works by Yasokichi IV can be differentiated from those of her father by her signature and her colour patterns. Yasokichi IV colours tend to be lighter and she will sometimes utilize reds, more yellow, or even whites, whereas colours selected by her father tend towards deep blues at the base of his works to light greens. In an article she was quoted as saying, "My father’s work was characterised by sharp lines, but I strive towards subtle changes to make my style more round and feminine."

• [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-3965346 2002 Christie's Auction] of saiyu glazed vase by Tokuda Yasokichi III
• [https://www.onishigallery.com/usr/library/documents/main/artists/68/tokuda-yasokichi-iv_catalog_onishi.pdf Onishi Gallery Brochure] with images of saiyu glazed vases by Tokuda Yasokichi IV
• [https://note.com/kuwabara99/n/n89bd286334da Four signature styles of Tokuda Yasokichi III and example Tokuda Yasokichi IV]

Approximately [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/finest-and-rarest-spirits/hibiki-35-year-old-kutani-decanter-tokuda $76,000 USD sale of Tokuda Yasokichi III decanter] at Sotheby's

• [https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/c593375481/ Saiyu glazed vase with pattern] by Tokuda Yasokichi III

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Category:Japanese potters

Category:1873 births

Category:1956 deaths

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ja:徳田八十吉