Kouzo Kato

Kouzo Kato

Born in 1935 in Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture. After graduating from the Ceramic Department of Tajimi Technical High School, he joined the Gifu Prefectural Ceramic Testing Laboratory. In 1960, he met the Living National Treasure Toyozo Arakawa, which led him to pursue a career in ceramics. He became independent in 1970 and studied under Arakawa. In 1971, he built his own anagama kiln in Tajimi and began his full-fledged creative career. The following year, in 1972, with the introduction of his mentor, he held his debut solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi in Tokyo. Since then, he has established his own distinctive style while inheriting the traditions of Mino Momoyama pottery, especially Shino and Setoguro. In 1991, he was designated as the holder of the Intangible Cultural Property of Tajimi City, and in 1995 as the holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture for “Shino and Setoguro.” In his later years, he devoted himself to donating works and materials related to his mentor Toyozo Arakawa and Mino ceramics to museums, making a significant contribution to the preservation of Japanese ceramic heritage.