Imai Kōjin 今井康人 (*1937)

Iga freshwater jar with attached handles (mimi-zuki mizusashi) and fantastic natural ash glaze by Imai Kōjin (also known as Imai Yasuto). Kōjin, born in 1937, studied pottery from 1957-61 under Kawai Zuihō (1913-1964) in Kyōto. His works have been shown at many important exhibitions in Japan, such as the Kyōto Art Exhibition, the Shiga Prefecture Exhibition, the Nitten (Japanese National Exhibition), as well as exhibitions abroad under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1973, Kōjin moved to Iga and devoted himself to the research and study of Old Iga ware, whose carefree, irregular style was popular in medieval Japan for the production of tea ceremony utensils. Much of his effort and knowledge culminated in this excellent piece.

Another fantastic freshwater jar of similar shape by Kōjin was published in: Gendai chatō taikan ("Overview of contemporary tea pottery"), Vol. 3, Shufunotomo 1979, p. 116.

Please see Iga, Renzan-gama, Imai Kōjin chatō-ten, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi honten bijustu-bu (Tōkyō 1993) for other reference works.

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