Kōichi Iinuma is a potter who works in bright textures. After receiving his early ceramic education apprenticed to the master potter Kōji Arata in Kasama from 1999, Iinuma established his own kiln in the town five years later. From here he makes work that is bold and distinctive.

A regular in important ceramic prize award categories, Iinuma’s work for galleries and exhibitions is frequently in an imposing series of metallic shades. For the table, he can often prefer striking blues and blueish greens.

Iinuma’s tableware brings an almost glass-like texture to clay. Onto this rich blue surface he adds pattern work and accents of gold and silver. The result is a rare sense of luxury brought to Japanese forms.