Yuji Miura

三浦裕二

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Online Feature

As part of my initiative to bring in works of some of my favourite potters to my audience, I am happy to present to you the works of Yuji Miura, a potter based in Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

He fires Sabukaze-style Sueki and Bizen pottery, in a semi-underground anagama, a wood kiln he built himself in 2022.

This time I’m excited to feature a curated range of works, fired in Sueki-style , a blue-grey unglazed stoneware with its roots dating back to the 7th century.

And it is an honour to present his works outside of Japan for the first time.

View the collection here .

Mastery of Fire

Challenging Norms, and Embracing Daily Life.

An extremely down-to-earth person, Miura-san’s mastery of fire is exceptional. After years of experience working as a kiln firer, he has his own unique way of firing wood kilns and he is able to fire alone, unlike many other potters who traditionally fire round the clock in teams. He also opts to use scrap wood from torn down houses and other recycled wood, instead of the typical pine/cedar wood.

And through this art of traditional wood-firing, he creates understated and modern pieces that fit perfectly into our daily life.

Sueki: Process of Firing

Miura-san fires Sueki, one of the earliest forms of high-fire stoneware pottery in Japan. The techniques of making and firing Sueki are the foundation and precursor to Bizenyaki and many other forms of Japanese pottery.

He works in both Sabukaze Sueki and Bizenyaki styles, firing them in his anagama (kiln) that he dug and built on his own land, based on designs of the early Sueki wood kilns, while trying to recreate the firing techniques and making style of Sueki pots found in the region.

He makes work that fits the modern life, but yet his process and firing is deeply rooted in tradition. His works are fired unglazed and with temperatures exceeding 1200C, wood ash falls and melts, forming a natural ash glaze.

The blue-grey colours are achieved during the final stage of the firing. Miura-san carries out the laborious task of sealing up the whole kiln at the peak temperature, starving the kiln of oxygen during the cooling process. This includes the firebox, chimney and even any cracks around the kiln. His father, wife and young son help out in this process, with everyone working together to seal up the kiln as quickly as possible.