Hamada Shoji

1894 Born in Tokyo
1912 Saw etchings and pottery by Bernard Leach in Ginza, Tokyo
1913 Studied at the Tokyo Technical College with Itaya Hazan (1872-1963) Came to know Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966)
1914 Became interested in Mashiko pottery after seeing a teapot at Hazan's home
1916 Graduated from Tokyo Technical College and enrolled at Kyoto Ceramics Laboratory, came to know Tomimoto Kenkichi (1886-1963)
Began 10,000 glaze experiments with Kawai
1917 Visited Okinawa to study kiln construction
1919 Met Bernard Leach (1887-1979) at his solo exhibition, invited to his studio in Abiko, and met Yanagi Muneyoshi (1889-1961)
Traveled to Korea and Manchuria, China with Kawai
1920 Visited Mashiko for the first time
Traveled to England with Leach, built a climbing kiln at St. Ives
1924 Moved to Mashiko. Married. Visited Okinawa with his wife, where he produced his work at Tsuboya workshop
1923 Traveled to France, Italy, Crete, and Egypt after his solo exhibition in London
1929 Trip to England with Yanagi and Kawai
1930 Moved a farmhouse from a nearby village and rebuilt it as his own home in Mashiko
1931 Built three-chamber kiln (later enlarged to five chamber)
1936-43 Traveled throughout Korea, North China, and Okinawa, collecting old and new folk crafts
1952 Traveled with Yanagi and Leach throughout the U.S. to give demonstrations
1961 "Shoji Hamada Collected Works" published by Asahi Shimbun
1962 Appointed Director of the Japan Folk Art Museum
1965 Invited to New Zealand and Australia with third son Atsuya
1974 Completed museum for own folk crafts collection in Mashiko

Awards:

1949 Tochigi Prefecture Culture Award
1953 Minister of Education Award for Art
1955 Designated as a "Living National Treasure"
1967 Invited to the 50th anniversary of Michigan State University; received honorary LLD Degree and exhibited work.
1968 Okinawa Times Award
Order of Purple from the Emperor of Japan

Solo Exhibitions:

1923 First solo exhibition, Paterson Gallery, London
1925 First solo exhibition in Japan, Kyukyodo (thereafter annually in Tokyo and Osaka)
1928 Kyukyodo, Tokyo
1929 Paterson Gallery, London and Kyukyodo, Tokyo and Osaka

Group Exhibitions:

1928 Tokyo Imperial Exposition
1963 With second son Shinsaku held workshops and exhibitions throughout the U.S. Visited Mexico and Spain



Selected References:

Wege zur Japanischen Keramik: Tradition in der Gegenwart, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst zu Berlin, 2005

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