Hayashi Shotaro

Hayashi Shotaro was born in Toki, Japan, a city known for its tradition of ceramics. Although he initially found regular employment after high school, he returned to Toki in 1967, where he studied under the tutelage of his older brother, Kotaro. He quickly developed a desire to create and soon proved his exceptional talent by winning the Governor’s Award at the Asahi Ceramics Exhibition in 1971.

In 1974, he established his own kiln in Toki and began to forge his own path in the world of ceramics, quickly establishing himself as a renowned artist. He is famous for his masterful Mino glazes, such as Shino and Oribe, and above all, he is the contemporary pioneer of the unusual “Manyosai” glaze. He has received the prefectural award for holder of intangible cultural assets of Mino Prefecture. His robust forms are complemented by a smooth glazed surface that invites the viewer to savor the pleasures of the Shino technique.

List of exhibitions and awards won

• First prize at the Gifu Prefectural Exhibition in 1968
• Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Exhibition of Traditional Arts and Crafts)
• Governor’s Award in 1971 and five-time winner of the First Prize at the Asahi Togei Ten (Asahi Ceramics Exhibition)
• Winner of the Mino Ceramic Art Grand Prize, the highest award, in 1994 and two other major prizes, the Shoroku Prize and the Kobei Prize in 1997.