A lesured old man, Shiho's talking over tea.

A lesured old man, Shiho's talking over tea.

Ten-day anagama firing from Apr. 11.

I'm very busy, because I will have ten-day anagama firing from Apr. 11. I am sitting in front of the handwheel every day. I wanted to have a rest for a moment. So I went shopping with my wife Keiko yesterday. It was very good time for me.
I always have some visitors during the daytime, so I have to make my works from the evening to the midnight. I had two guests today.
They asked me, "while you are making your works, what do you think about? Many guests has asked me the same question. When I got the question, I asked me the same question. "What do you think while you are making your works?" In the other words, I'm making my works without thinking. So I couldn't reply immediately to them. I will show you how to make my works.

I have to say before everything, I always am making my works with coil building.
I do a spiral wedging and a final wedging, then I take a handful of clay and put it on the center of a handwheel, and flatten it out to a thickness of about 1-1.5 cm for making bottom part. And turning the handwheel, I cut off the clay to make a circle. At this time, I decided what I make from now, Then I make something that is very rough with coil building. During this time, I am not thinking anything. There is no design in my head.

I'm only thinking to build tea bowl by the same thickness. After it all was made the same thickness, lubricate the inside and out side of the tea bowl with water. And support the out side with left hand and placing the right hand in the bottom of the tea bowl. And throwing the tea bowl up at a breath. That's it. At that time, I don't think to make a good thing. I pay heed to inside of the tea bowl when I am throwing.

Month03 Day25 Year2006 (Sut) No.26 (Anagama)

Claude Gagnon lived in Shigaraki.

Director Gagnon had returned to Shigaraki on the middle of March 2003. And he temporarily lived at an old house where Shiho Kanzaki grew up in Shigaraki. After a while, he introduced some staffs for his movie to me. There were an assistant director Mrs. Miyahra and other main persons among them. Director Gagnon's knowledge about Shigaraki was increasing more than me though I was born and grew up in Shigaraki.

He visited many potter's studio, houses that has its own particular atmosphere in Shigaraki. I saw him who had collected many data day after day. I found that they need too much materials beyond the imagination for making one movie. Whenever I met him, he told me cheerfully about Shigaraki resident's point of view, customs in Shigaraki, a way of their life and so on. I found out many new things when I listened about those things from a Canadian Claude Gagnon though Shiho is a resident in Shigaraki.
We had many hours in common together. And I thought that all of his experiences must be making his next movie.
At the same time, I began to understand the outline of movie "KAMATAKI".

Month03 Day21 Year2006 (Tue) No.21 (Movies::KAMATAKI)

Making pottery after a long time silence.

Since March has come, I can sit down more often before the turning wheel since September 2004. Two years ago, Mr. Claude Gagnon shot his movie "KAMATAKI" at my studio and kiln site according to my kamataki schedule. So the scene of kamataki in the movie was real Shiho's kamataki itself. Quite a few person who watched the movie can understand a way of Shiho's kamataki.

I was suffering from gangrene after shooting on the film finished. So I couldn't sit before the wheel. Fortunately, I recovered completely without an operation. Doctors said, "it's miracle". When I decided to give up a modern medical care, the doctor said "a folk remedy can't
heal your disease. If the gangrene became a serious situation, you should come here anytime." I have believed spontaneous recovery.
I disobeyed the Doctor, I threw away all of the medicines that he gave me. And I completely recovered under the treatment of homeopathy.

When I've sit down before the wheel, the delight well out from the bottom of my heart. I've nevere experienced like this feeling.
Mr. Araya who was a steel cameraman for movie "KAMATAKI" came to my studio this evening to take photos. He took these　pictures.

Month03 Day15 Year2006 (Wed) No.19 (Anagama)

Claude Gagnon attended to an opening kiln first time.

This story is January 5, 2003. This photo is a scene of unloading day of Shiho's kiln as usual. There are over 30 guests who want to see fresh work coming out of the kiln. We started to take my works out of the kiln after we had a lunch at my studio. Claude Gagnon was so excited to shoot all of the scene on his video. Because the scene of unloading day was Claude Gagnon's first experience. We were talking about my works coming out of the kiln during we were having a lunch.
After the lunch, all of the guests gathered by the anagama kiln to watch the opening kiln.

Around half past one o'clock, we prayed to the kiln and opened the kiln. Their eyes gazed into my works in the kiln. Claude Gagnon shot the scene of ceremony of opening the kiln, and the movement of the guests. And he interviewed the guests about Shiho's works, his thought and so on. Mr. Gagnon can speak Japanese, so everybody replyed to him frankly. During that time, Mr. Gagnon shot the atmosphere around the kiln and Shiho's works on his video intently.

There were many guests by the kiln to see my works coming out of the kiln at that time. And outside of the kiln site, many persons were waiting to see the works. Mr. Gagnon said, "Shigaraki is colder than Canada".
A work of the center of this photo is a big incense burner. And the incense burner was main work in this kiln with a stand base, main body, ash pot and a a globe. All of my works have a natural ash deposit. This incense burner loaded into a fire box. So it's got a highest temperature.

My works were finished in my studio by my assistant. Mr. Gagnon experienced all of the process. I think there's no film director knowing the all processes of anagama. I believed that he is an unprecedented movie director. That's why the KAMATAKI movie received five prizes by the 29th World Film Festival of Montreal, and the movie KAMATAKI was won "Special Jury Prize" at the Berlin Film Festival.

Month03 Day12 Year2006 (Sun) No.18 (Movies::KAMATAKI)

Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) on March 3.

Our family had Hina Matsuri on March 5. It's too late, because Doll Festival is celebrated on March 3. But I and my son-in-law was very busy to have my first grand-daughter's celebration. The Doll Festival is called Hinamatsuri or Momo no Sekku for girls.We displayed hina dolls on a tiered stand. The hina dolls are including emperor and empress, three court ladis, and five musicians and others.

Our granddaughter was borne last August. The Doll Festival this year is the first one for her. We called her first Doll Festival "Hatsuzekku". It's very important for her. So grandparents served her a festive red sea bream and festive red rice. And we enjoy treats "shirozake" (sweet sake with rice malt) and red and white candies.

The Doll Festival has its roots in the ceremonies and rituals involving dolls performed by the daughters of the Heian nobility, and it was only later, during the Edo period, that these dolls came back into fashion and gradually evolved into a Girl's Day tradition connected with Momo no Sekku.

Leaving the Hina Dolls out too long is said to delay marriage, and it is customary to put them away soon after March 3.
Traditionally in our village, when a new bride had a baby girl, the parents of a new bride gave her Hina Dolls.

Month03 Day06 Year2006 (Mon) No.15 (Culture)

KAMATAKI is coming soon in CANADA.

The film "KAMATAKI" is being shown for the first time in Canada from March 3rd 2006. Before the day, we had a premi'ere show. Takako Miyahara who is an assistant director of "KAMATAKI" sent us her message in Japanese.

Before 30 minutes, There are many camera crew including Radi Canada and other broadcasting stations with camera and microphone. They cheched their machines, camera, microphone and e.t.c..

We all were so exciting, Mr. Matt Smiley (Ken) appeared there. So all of the media started to move to him. He received interviews from the media. About that time, Jorane arrived at the place. She is a very popular singer in Europe, Canada, America and all over the world. Of course, director Claude Gagnon have attracted a great deal of attention. Everybody was so exciting.

In addition, Robert Charlebois arrived the place. He is a very popular rock musician as you know. His appearance blow up a storm of camera man, cameraman and cameraman.(smile)

Claude Gagnon gave a large audience a warm reception 30 minutes before putting the movie KAMATAKI on the screen. And Bridget san who is a person in charge of the press gave audience a greeting. Suicide of young person is a serious social problem in Quebec and Japan. So Bridget san said, "I would like KAMATAKI to help young person's mental problem." I saw The KAMATAKI on a large screen after a long time. Just after the movie finished, I heard a storm of applause by the audience, and their voices "Fantastic! Great! e.t.c.." And Claud Gagnon called us (movie crew) to step onto the stage. He indroduce us. The primiere had a great success.
We were filled with wonder reading a newspaper at the morning of the premi'ere show. The news paper is La Presse. It's the biggest one in Quebec. In addition, the item of KAMATAKI were reported on the first page.

Month03 Day03 Year2006 (Fri) No.14 (Movies::KAMATAKI)

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