Sohei Matsuno

Perched on a quiet street overlooking a field of rice paddies, Sohei Matsuno's gallery and studio is home to a exquisite array of Hagi yaki styles. We had the pleasure of meeting Matsuno-san and learning about his studio on our recent visit to Hagi. In what was previously his father's studio, home to six full time working artists, Matsuno-san now works on his own, regularly filling the large studio with students in his ceramic classes. His father's work can still be seen on display in their traditional climbing kiln alongside the studio. 

While exploring new grounds with his glazes, Matsuno-san continues to use traditional Hagi yaki clay and techniques. Matsuno-san pushes the boundaries of what is considered classically Hagi yaki. Adding a contemporary approach to the ancient form, his work features glaze colours not traditionally seen in Hagi yaki. Alongside his more traditional works, it is not uncommon to find deep ruby reds, bright blues and greens, and even his signature mauve glaze. 

While exploring his gallery above his studio, we were immediately drawn to Matsuno-san's Hakame series. The entire series can be found in our collection.