寒川義雄 Yoshio Kangawa

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1963, Yoshio Kangawa first encountered ceramics in his thirties in Koishiwara, Fukuoka, where he was deeply moved by seeing clay take form and transform through fire into vessels. Established his kiln in Hiroshima in 2001.

Kangawa works across a wide range of materials and techniques, creating wood-fired stoneware as well as white porcelain, semi-porcelain, and iron-glazed vessels.

Influenced by both the Japanese folk craft tradition and contemporary ceramics, Yoshio Kangawa places particular importance on making vessels that are held, used, and returned to again and again in everyday life. An encounter with Kazumi Sakata of Kogei Sakata also had a lasting influence on his practice, particularly Sakata’s thoughts on the importance of the foot in determining a vessel’s presence and on the value of making objects for everyday use.

From the taut surfaces of wood-fired clay and the quiet clarity of white porcelain to the understated depth of black iron glaze, each expression carries its own character. Despite their differences in material and firing, Kangawa’s vessels share a natural presence—quietly settling into daily life while retaining a distinct sense of strength.