Shoji Hamada – The Potter Who Stayed Grounded (Early 20th-century Japan)

Shoji Hamada (1894–1978) was a quiet force in 20th-century ceramics — a potter who looked backward to move forward. Born in Kanagawa, Japan, and trained in chemistry, Hamada abandoned the scientific path to pursue ceramics, eventually becoming a leading voice in the mingei (folk craft) movement.

In the 1920s, he traveled to England with Bernard Leach to help establish the Leach Pottery in Cornwall. But Hamada's most influential work unfolded back in his home country. Settling in Mashiko, a traditional pottery village north of Tokyo, he built kilns, revived old forms, and embraced natural, local materials and wood firing.

Hamada’s work wasn’t about perfection — it was about honesty, utility, and the beauty of the everyday. His pots carry an earthy softness, an unassuming balance between gesture and form. His commitment to doing less, better earned him the title of Living National Treasure in 1955 — and inspired generations of potters around the world.

To this day, the kilns of Mashiko still burn with his influence.

Next in Clay Lore: Bridging Continents in Clay - The Legacy of Bernhard Leach - 1920s England (Leach–Hamada connection)