VOL.208 OCTOBER 2025
KAWAII CULTURE FROM JAPAN [Introducing Precious Traditional Japanese Culture to the World] Pursuing "Beauty in Utility": The Art and Skill of Karatsu-yaki, a 400-Year Tradition

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Mike Martino runs the Gotanbayashi kiln, a kamamoto¹ (workshop where pottery is produced), in Taku City, Saga Prefecture, producing Karatsu-yaki² (Karatsu Ware). In this article, he talks about the techniques of Karatsu-yaki, which combine continental techniques with Japanese aesthetic sensibilities, and the deep appeal of this traditional pottery.

What first drew me to Karatsu-yaki was seeing the tataki technique at the workshop of my master, TSURUTA Yoshihisa, in 2002. The tataki technique is unique to Karatsu-yaki: clay is rolled into long, rope-like strips, stacked, and then shaped by tapping with tools. I was immediately fascinated, thinking, “I never knew you could make pottery this way!” Inspired by this technique, I decided to pursue a career as a potter.

The history of Karatsu-yaki goes back around 400 years. Karatsu City in Saga Prefecture is close to the Korean Peninsula and has long served as a gateway to the Asian mainland. At the end of the 16th century, many potters arrived from the Korean Peninsula, bringing with them techniques such as noborigama³ (climbing kilns) and advanced seyu⁴ (glazing methods). The rustic yet powerful beauty of Karatsu-yaki was also loved by chajin⁵ (tea masters) earning high praise in the world of the Japanese tea ceremony.

The tataki technique that captured my heart perfectly embodies the Karatsu-yaki ideal of yo no bi⁶ (“beauty in utility”). In this method, the inside of the stacked clay is supported with a board called an ategi while the outside is tapped and compressed. This process produces surprisingly thin and lightweight vessels. Their lightness makes them easy to use in daily life, and items such as water pitchers made with the tataki technique are highly valued.

Among these techniques, the one I am especially focused on is a style called usuzukuri,⁷ which uses very little water. While some tataki methods involve shaping the clay with water, in usuzukuri, any contact with water during the thinning process can cause the vessel to crack immediately. It is an extremely challenging technique that requires delicate control, but this tension is essential to achieve the ideal lightness. Occasionally, cracks do appear after firing, but when they are repaired using the kintsugi⁸ technique, the vessel gains a texture and character that the original piece did not have.

Another important element that supports the tataki technique is a set of specialized tools. One of these is the keri-rokuro⁹ (“foot-powered wheel”). Unlike the heavy stone wheels used in other pottery regions, the Karatsu-yaki version is made of wood and is extremely light. It stops spinning immediately if you don’t keep kicking it with your foot, but this also allows for very precise control of the rotation, making it ideal for tapping and compressing the clay.

Another essential tool is the gyubera¹⁰ (lit. “cow’s tongue”), a specialized clay-shaping spatula. The clay used for Karatsu-yaki has little stickiness, so if you try to spread it sideways with the edge of a regular spatula, it cracks easily. The gyubera, however, shapes the clay while compressing it, allowing even fragile clay to become a vessel. I make my own gyubera by taking a mold from a wooden spatula and crafting it with dental resin.

In this way, the techniques and tools of Karatsu-yaki are closely connected to the materials of this region. Sometimes I go into the mountains myself to find the clay and stones I use for my work. Working with the local clay is always a challenge, but I continually study how to bring out the unique character of each type of clay.

Mike Martino
Originally from New Mexico, USA. From a young age, he developed an interest in pottery, exploring ancient sites and collecting ceramic fragments. He came to Japan in 1990, and in 2002 began studying under a master Karatsu-yaki potter, creating his own works. In 2005, he established his own kiln, Gotanbayashi Kama. Many of his pieces are used as tea utensils for the tea ceremony, and he also actively produces Japanese and Western tableware, as well as sake vessels. Note: Visits to his studio require advance reservation.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
Search: Mike Martino

• 1. Kamamoto: Refers to a workshop where pottery is produced, or to the potters themselves.
• 2. Karatsu-yaki: A general term for pottery produced mainly in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture. While there are several theories, it is said to have begun in the late 16th century, incorporating techniques brought over by potters from the Korean Peninsula, which boosted production. Made with coarse, unrefined clay, its vessels convey a rustic yet powerful impression.
• 3. Noborigama: A type of kiln used to fire pottery. Built on a slope, it can fire many pieces at high temperatures all at once.
• 4. Glaze: A glass-like coating applied to the surface of pottery to prevent leaks and for decorative purposes.
• 5. Chajin: A person skilled in the tea ceremony (sado), able to prepare and serve tea to guests.
• 6. Yo no bi: A concept expressing the idea that tools are beautiful when they are used.
• 7. Usuzukuri: Pottery finished thinly to create lightweight vessels with a soft, delicate mouthfeel.
• 8. Kintsugi: A Japanese repair technique in which broken pottery is joined with lacquer and decorated with gold or silver powder, creating an appearance different from the original. (See “Kintsugi: The Healing Power of Pottery Repair,” Highlighting Japan, August 2020 issue)
• 9. Keri-rokuro: A pottery tool; a foot-powered wheel used to shape clay.
• 10. Gyubera: A tool used to shape clay, named for its resemblance to a cow’s tongue.
• 11. A kiln fueled by firewood.
• 12. A kiln fired using natural gas or propane.

By MURAKAMI Kayo
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji; ColBase

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