Raised between Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Eito Shinozaki first encountered ceramics while living in Los Angeles.
Drawn to the depth and complexity of wood firing, he returned to Japan to study Bizen ware, one of the country’s oldest ceramic traditions. Working in Okayama, he creates vessels and sculptural works fired in traditional wood-burning kilns, developing surfaces through an intimate understanding of flame, ash, and the firing process acquired through years of kiln practice.
ABOUT EITO
Eito is a potter based in Bizen, Okayama, working primarily with wheel-thrown vessels and traditional wood firing.
In an age increasingly shaped by mass production and digital experiences, he believes handmade objects offer a different kind of value—one rooted in touch, material, and the traces of human effort. His work embraces subtle irregularities and variations that emerge through the making and firing process, reflecting the character of both the maker and the material.
Working with local Bizen clay and firing in traditional wood-burning kilns, he creates vessels intended for everyday use. Through a balance of form, function, and surface, he seeks to make pottery that is both quietly expressive and deeply practical.
幼い頃から海外文化に興味を持ち、10代後半から20代前半にかけての6年間をアメリカとイギリスで過ごす。異なる文化に触れるなかで日本文化の美しさを再認識し、それを自らの手でかたちにしたいという思いから、ものづくりの道を志す。
ロサンゼルスで陶芸と出会い、備前焼を学ぶため帰国。現在は備前を拠点に、釉薬を用いず、薪窯による焼成を通して、土と炎が織りなす表情を探求している。素材と向き合い、成形から焼成までの技術を重ねながら、器や立体作品を制作する。
「完璧じゃないからこそ、おもしろい」。その感覚を大切に、使う楽しさと、ひとつひとつ異なる表情を持つ作品を追求している。
1997 - Born in Yokohama, Japan
2020 - Chapman University
2023 - Bizen Pottery Center
2023 - Group exhibition BIZEN IKUTOUKAI,
SOGO Hiroshima
2024 - Group exhibition BIZEN IKUTOUKAI,
TENMAYA Kurashiki
2026 - Built an anagama at Can Brull, Barcelona
2026 - Solo exhibition at Mugenan Ginza, Tokyo
2026 - Group exhibition “Colors of Scent”,
early spring gallery & shop
