• Hiroshi follows the traditional making methods of Bizen ware ceramics
• Once a year he lights his kiln and fires all the pieces he has made in one go
• His works have been exhibited and recognised internationally

After training at the Okayama Prefectural Bizen Ceramic Centre, Hiroshi Toyofuku apprenticed under Bizen ware artist Fumio Kawabata starting in 1998. During this time, he learned to assess clay properties, shape forms using the coil-building method, and understand the relationship between texture, form, and firing results. Since becoming independent in 2006, Hiroshi has created works using local clay, fired in a traditional wood-fired kiln with the yakishime method, an unglazed technique defining Bizen ware. Based on over a thousand years of tradition, his work respects the region’s cultural heritage, while incorporating his own contemporary expressions. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally, including in Tokyo, Paris and New York.