Starting November 27, CREATION Gallery G8 and Guardian Garden—two galleries in Tokyo’s Ginza district operated by Recruit Holdings—will host an exhibition of individually designed and fabricated Oborisoma-ware plates. The exhibition is the 2018 edition of the annual “CREATION Project,” this year representing a collaboration involving 167 creative artists and three pottery producers based in Fukushima. All items on display will be available for purchase, with net proceeds to be donated to “Save the Children.”

“Oborisoma” is a traditional type of ceramic ware of Namie, a small town in Fukushima Prefecture, that traces its history back as far as the late 17th century. Production of Oborisoma ware was suspended after Namie was severely impacted by the events of the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster of March 2011, but before long the local potters resumed operations at new kilns they established in other areas of the prefecture. Since then they have acquired their clay from Seto, a city in Aichi Prefecture, and despite the physical distances now separating the Oborisoma-ware kilns, the potters from Namie continue to collaborate closely. Today, young potters from outside Fukushima Prefecture have also joined in, helping to restore vigor to the area. As a result, thanks to the ties formed between many individuals of many different backgrounds, this prized tradition of Namie continues in Fukushima.

The items created in conjunction with CREATION Project 2018 are small Oborisoma-ware plates individually designed by 167 creative artists and fabricated in collaboration with three pottery producers specialized in this type of ceramic ware. Each item is handmade on a potter’s wheel. The fine cracks visible in some of the plates are a special feature of Oborisoma ware. They occur from contraction of the glaze when the kiln is opened to let the ceramic wares cool. The cracking is accompanied by a sound resembling the pleasant tinkling of a wind chime.

Also on display, together with the plates designed by the 167 creative artists, will be plates created by the local children of Namie. They designed the plates in a workshop held at the Namie Sosei Elementary and Junior High School, newly opened in the town after a lapse of seven years. The workshop was convened to have children become familiar with Namie’s traditional crafts.

We hope many people will take this opportunity to participate in this worthy charity event.