COVERCHORD FEATURE

YOYOGAMA
SIMPLE AND CHARMING TABLEWARE FOR EVERYDAY LIVING

Matte textures and vibrant colors meet softly rounded forms.
Warm, charming tableware from YOYOGAMA in Kamiamakusa.

In the Amakusa region of Kumamoto Prefecture, more than 20 kilns produce what is known as “Amakusa ceramics.”
Drawing on clay and stone from the area’s rich natural environment and inspired by its scenic landscapes, a diverse range of artisans create unique pieces of tableware every day.

One of them is Yosuke Komatsuno of YOYOGAMA, based in Kamiamakusa City between the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas.
by rounded, softly contoured forms, matte textures, and warm, vivid glazes. Each piece carries a simple warmth that invites you to pick it up.

YOYOGAMA is located in a quiet village just off the old road from the center of Oyano Town in Kamiamakusa, where the presence of the sea feels close at hand.
The renovated family home houses both the workshop and gallery.

We visited Yosuke Komatsuno at YOYOGAMA, where the scent of the sea mingles with the smell of earth.

“I’ve loved playing with clay since I was a child,” says Yosuke Komatsuno, who began his full-fledged journey into ceramics on the recommendation of Ryosuke Konomi of Kurakuragama in Amakusa.
Drawn to the work of Maruoyaki, he sought an introduction, entered the kiln, and devoted seven and a half years there to honing his craft.
He then spent four years at the ceramic materials store Tozoh, deepening his knowledge of raw materials and glazes.
Before striking out on his own, he built a foundation of skill and theory, approaching ceramics from both a technical and material perspective.

In 2003, he opened his own kiln, YOYOGAMA, and has since continued to work in his native Amakusa.
He creates everyday tableware such as curry and pasta plates, soup cups, small bowls, and mugs ― pieces that sit naturally on the table and gently enhance the flavors of the food. In his search for originality, he has established the distinctive style that defines his work today.
 

Komatsuno’s pottery is deeply rooted in the land of Amakusa. He works with a blend of Shigaraki clay and local earth, and uses Amakusa pottery stone in his glazes.

His most distinctive feature is the warm, unique palette of colors ― green, black, and yellow ― with a particular depth to his greens that carry a subtle, traditional Japanese quality.

Another hallmark is his softly rounded forms, full of charm like a curled-up cat.
He values the way each piece feels in the hand, creating tableware that blends seamlessly into any dining setting, regardless of cuisine.

His bowls and plates for everyday dishes such as curry or miso soup embrace the food, carrying a beauty that lies not in being “displayed for admiration,” but in being “used.”
Beyond tableware, he also experiments with sculptural works inspired by the local Christian heritage of Amakusa, dinosaurs, the Tower of the Sun, and Edo-period armor ― expressions drawn from the land and his own memories.
These pieces radiate a one-of-a-kind presence that only he can create.

He dips half of a piece into a mixed glaze, then, once it has partially dried, layers on a second color.
Where the two glazes meet, the one applied later develops a stronger hue.

Through repeated trial and error, he has refined a process in which the colored glaze and matte texture balance beautifully, creating a distinctive, quietly composed expression.

A key element in Komatsuno’s work is the kakiotoshi technique.
After applying a slip, he carves into the still-soft surface to reveal patterns ― not painting with a brush, but inscribing lines by hand.

He laughs, saying, “I can’t draw,” yet the pleasing spontaneity and rhythm of his freehand lines harmonize perfectly with his creations, where the feel of the hand is valued above all.

He never cuts corners when loading the kiln, taking painstaking care with each piece.
In the kiln he uses Seger cones (pyrometric cones) to visually gauge heatwork and firing progress, carefully checking the condition of the ware.

That day he was also firing pieces made by children from a pottery class at a local elementary school where he teaches.
Beyond his own practice, he supports the learning of the next generation and works to pass on Amakusa’s ceramic culture.

When asked, “What is Amakusa tableware?”, Komatsuno paused and answered quietly:

“Welcoming to all, I suppose.”

Looking across the kilns of the Amakusa region, there are no rigid schools or stifling traditions.
Each potter expresses themselves freely. At the same time, those who wish to learn are taught generously.
The Maruoyaki kiln where he trained was the same.
This openness is the soil that fosters creativity as wide as the sea. That spirit lives in “Amakusa tableware.”

In recent years, conditions have grown tougher with rising raw material costs and the aging of makers and suppliers.
Even so, Komatsuno says, “I want to keep making tableware that is one of a kind in my own way.”
Behind those humble, candid words are a maker’s pride and steady resolve.
Born from Amakusa’s nature, culture, and human connections, the tableware of YOYOGAMA will continue to add quiet yet strong color to everyday life.

 

Yosuke Komatsuno
Born 1966 in Kamiamakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
1991 Trained in ceramics at Maruoyaki in Hondo City (now Amakusa City), Kumamoto.
1998 Studied raw materials at the ceramic materials store Tozoh.
2003 Founded YOYOGAMA.

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