Treasures of Okinawa

Fuji pottery workshop gas kiln firing ended and a lot of beautiful encarve designed pottery is now on display.
And still always working on the next one...stay tuned!

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Day for the traders from all over Japan to come and get their stock of Kitagama pottery. One chance to get your hands on some of this beautiful pottery even if you cannot come to Okinawa!!

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Firing proceeds to room n.8; it started at 17:00 and at the end of room n.9 it will be around 2am, when Kyoshi's brigade will be able to go back home and have some rest. In the next days they have to clean up the workshop and prepare everything for the take out. It will probably be a rainy day, as a typhoon is expected to pass over Okinawa that day. It doesn't seem to be a strong one, but wind and a lot of rain is expected. I'll do my best to catch some good pics and share it with you in the next days!
Stay tuned!!!

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Firing proceeds, but a couple of hours behind on the schedule, the firing of the first room took more than expected, due to the difficulty in raising the temperature, but eventually it was completed and Kyoshi-san's brigade was able to move on to room n. 2, of which I got the first "iromi". This time the firing seems to be proceeding as expected.
I'll see you for some more extra pics of firing room n.8-9 before the taking out next week!!!
Stay tuned!!!

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And the firing begins, under rain squalls and wind, alternated to sunny moments. 11 o'clock the fire was started, and now it's time to work hard to burn all the wood needed to bring the temperature up and then move onto the room firings.
I'll be checking during the next days and try to catch some "iromi" coming out of the kiln.
Stay tuned, and enjoy the pics!!

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Fuji pottery studio's next climbing kiln firing will be in November...but the preparations and firings of the gas kiln are proceeding as always.
Kanako-san is also working on new shapes, big breakfast cups will soon have the "karakusa" motive painted and will be ready for the firing, I'm looking forward to seeing the result. I promise I will share it with you.

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Last touches before setting everything in the rooms for the firing. Master is giving the last color to his cups.
Everyone is trying to make space for everything in the rooms, this time too we have 4 rooms available, so again some big pieces are getting their way to the firing.
Looking forward to the result.
See you for the lightning and firing posts in the next few days!

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After 3 months we're getting ready again for Kitagama Kiln firing. A little preview of what will be fired in a week!
Please enjoy and follow us for more amazing photos in the next few days!!!

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At Fuji pottery studio there are also electric and gas kiln, so the work of preparing items never stops. Here are some pics of the next pieces, and some of the ones that are already on sale at the shop. The last two pictures are plates made by Kanako's son, that recently left the parents' shop to open his own business. He's selling his pieces here and there in Okinawa. Sometimes he's still coming to the workshop helping put with modeling the clay, so Kanako and the others can focus on design and coloring.

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Jiro Kinjo Kiln take out part 2!
In one hour it was all finished, for me at least...😄 Fuji Pottery crew started preparing the pieces for the store as soon as we were back to the workshop.
For my help I got invited to lunch the day after. Usually there's always a big lunch the day after the take out, to thank everyone for the hard work and to celebrate the end of the firing. Now we can start prepare for the next one!
Stay tuned for more pics in the following days and weeks!

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Last Tuesday was take off day for Jiro Kinjo Kiln. As they were in shortage of hands, I got invited to help out, so I entered the kiln for the take out for the first time. I was usually waiting outside to take pictures of the coming out pottery, but this time I didn't have much time for the photos...😅
But I want to share what I got, even if it's not much. Not time to take pictures when you have to take out all the hundreds of pieces that are in the room. Bowls, plates, little vases...not cups this time. Take out the pieces, then take down the shelf in front, piece by piece, then the pieces in the back shelf! All done in one hour, thank to the work of everyone!!! 💪
Enjoy the pics, I'll post more!!

#やちむんの里　 #陶芸工房ふじ

Here I am, just a quick drop by at Jiro Kinjo kiln the other day to take some photos of the firing process. Due to the typhoon approaching Okinawa the schedule firing has been anticipated by 12 hours, giving all the studio to finish the firing before Wednesday, day when we will feel the influence of the typhoon more. Stay tuned for the take out next week!!!

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Getting ready for the second firing of the year at Jiro Kinjo Kiln, with Fuji pottery studio working hard to get the more items possible into the room.
Stay tuned for more photo of the firing and the take out!

#やちむんの里 #陶芸工房ふじ

Firing proceeds, we are now at the room 8, this time an extra room for Kyoshi-san's group, as they should only have n.9, but this time Yoneshi-san's workshop didn't use all 3 rooms so he gave one to his little brother to use😊.
The shift was supposed to start in the afternoon, but due to a delay it started only one hour before I arrived, in the evening...so this time no iromi.😢
But nice atmosphere and temperature, a chat with Kyoshi-san and that was it for today. See you at the take out!!!

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And yes, I got the iromi time!!! After that, the master decides how to proceed with the firing, all is going smooth, keep it up!!!
Approaching the expected finish time of the firing there will be changes on the quantity and frequency of the wood used each time, that, evaluated every time looking at the iromi!

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With the entrance still burning (Master Kyoshi-san decided to fire for 3 more hours the entrance, before moving to room 1) everyone is fighting with the heat and doing their best to fuel the fire...let's see if I can get the iromi (color check) time as well!

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Firing of the entrance has begun, but some adjustments had to be made on the door of room 1, no problem, you can do it, will just be a little bit hot!!!
5h shift tor Kyoshi-san's group, and then see you tomorrow for the firing of room 1 and 2!

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I always wonder why so many people are needed to lit a fire...🤔😅 can't take a good picture with everyone around...😂😂😂
And this time as well the firing has begun, for someone it will be the last one, and she got a super shot with all the four masters!!!📷 Good luck for the future!!

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And everyone works together to get the final preparations ready!!!

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An empty and cleaned up workshop welcomed me on the day of the lighting up. I went to the kiln and everyone was building up the doors of the rooms.
Ready for firing in a bit!

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It was the first time for me to see this historical Kiln fired up!!!
Unfortunately it was an empty firing, to dry up the rooms and get ready for a real firing who will happen in December this year!
I hope I can be there to catch also the images of the real one!!
The red-roofed nine-step kiln known as Yuntanza Gama is the symbol of the village and is shared by a number of potters.

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At Fuji pottery shop, the next firing is scheduled for July, but there will be a gas firing before that, everyone is trying to get everything ready!!! Thanks to the good weather of the past days the work proceeds smoothly.

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