Bizen no Mori-san.

There was a relaxed feeling about Mori-san's work that appealed to me. In the photo below, Mori-san has just sold the vase at his knee for 180,000 J-Yen.

In my limited Japanese, I explained that I intended to write an article about Japanese ceramics, and asked to photograph more of his works from up close. The room was rather dark and it strained the ISO 400 film that I was using to be able to get a good picture. I did get another worth showing. At the festival, they were selling a directory of the Bizen potters for 1000 JYen. The leading potters had color photographs in the front. There were many poses, in clothes ranging from suits to working clothes. Mori-san's photo placed him kneeling humbly in the mouth of his kiln. I have the feeling that this man truly had a reverence for the clay and the fire, and the centuries of tradition in this town of potters. (Still waiting for this photo)