Based in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, Hiroyuki Onuki has been creating pottery for over 30 years.

Following his University studies, he worked as a Graphic Design Artist for 8 years in Tokyo before moving back to his home prefecture of Ibaraki. There he completed further studies at the Kasama College of Ceramic Art before training under Jinnai Sakata at another famous Japanese pottery town, Mashiko, in Tochigi.

Today he runs his own independent studio in Kasama, Studio Oak, where he primarily creates two distinctive collections, his Calligraphy Series, and his Saijiki Series

Hiroyuki Onuki

Ceramic Artist

Works

  • Japanese chidori uchiwa fan

    Calligraphy Series

    Inspired by Japanese calligraphy, this collection captures the flow of dark ink on a neutral stoneware background.

    Brushlike glazes and textured surfaces give each cup and plate a modern minimalist expression of a traditonal artform.

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  • Saijiki Series

    Hiroyuki Onuki’s modern refined series, where traditional Japanese aesthetics meet contemporary utility.

    Delicate, observational depictions of seasonal flowers and plants capture moments in nature, bringing a quietly vivid sense of season to everyday use.
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Hiroyuki Onuki

Pottery is not simply my profession—it is the way I choose to live.

Working in Kasama, one of Japan's most celebrated pottery towns, I create ceramic works that embody the warmth of the human hand and the quiet beauty found in everyday life. Rather than pursuing perfect uniformity, I embrace the subtle variations that only handmade work can offer.

Every piece reflects the texture of the clay, the character of the glaze, and the time, care, and intention devoted to its making.

I hope my work becomes a natural part of everyday life—pieces to use, to admire, and to live with, growing more meaningful over time. My work is guided by a lifelong curiosity about craftsmanship and by the belief that beauty often exists in the quiet moments of ordinary life.

Today, I primarily create two distinctive collections.

The Calligraphy Series draws inspiration from the graceful brushstrokes of traditional Japanese calligraphy. Rich black glaze flows across an ivory clay body like ink on paper, creating expressive patterns that I apply by hand to each piece. Its simple and timeless design harmonises naturally with both Japanese and contemporary interiors, making every work truly one of a kind.

Saijiki is a collection inspired by Japan's changing seasons. Its name is derived from the Japanese word saijiki, a traditional almanac that celebrates the seasons through nature and annual events. Using the overglaze enamel technique, I paint flowers such as plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, peonies, and camellias, as well as the wildflowers I encounter while walking near my studio. Through these works, I hope to share the quiet beauty of the changing seasons and the subtle colours of nature that enrich our everyday lives.

My hope is that each piece brings warmth and quiet beauty into everyday life, becoming a lasting presence that enriches the lives of those who welcome it into their homes.

Biography

1961: Born in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture

1985: Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University, Department of Design (Graphic Design Major)

1993: Completed study at the Ibaraki Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute (currently Kasama College of Ceramic Art)

1994: Studied under Jinnai Sakata in Mashiko-machi, Tochigi Prefecture

1995: Established independent studio in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture

Solo Exhibitions

Mito Keisei Department Store (Mito), Isetan Urawa (Urawa), Fujisaki Department Store (Sendai), Nagano Tokyu (Nagano), Niigata Isetan (Niigata), Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store (Tokyo), Academia Platonica (Naka), Sogo Yokohama (Yokohama), Sogo Chiba (Chiba), Shinjuku Takashimaya (Tokyo), Gallery Mon (Kasama), Nihombashi Takashimaya (Tokyo), and others.

Selected Exhibitions & Group Exhibitions

"Kasama Made" Exhibition (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi), Kasama Ware Exhibition (Matsuya Ginza), Kasama Ware Exhibition (Nagano Tokyu), Kasama Ware 10 Artists Exhibition (Shanghai, China), 2nd Shanghai International Ceramics Exhibition - Special Award (Shanghai, China), Japanese Art and Culture Exhibition (Taipei, Taiwan), Ibaraki Craft Association Ceramics Exhibition (Karlsruhe, Germany), Kasama Ware Artists Exhibition (Jingdezhen Museum of China, China), Kasama Ware Artists Exhibition (Henan Art Museum, China), Yasunori Matsui and Three Contemporary Kasama Artists Exhibition (The Japan Club, New York), London Craft Week (London, UK), Art Macao 2019 (Macao), Shanghai Meilongzhen Isetan Exhibition (Shanghai, China), AEON Mall Suzhou Suzhou Industrial Park Hudong Exhibition (Suzhou, China), KASAMA Potters Exhibition (Stoke-on-Trent & London, UK), Aoyama Square Exhibition (Chongqing, China)

Ceramic Mural Commissions

Ibaraki Prefectural Edosaki Sogo High School (8 sq. m.)

Kasama Municipal Iwama Junior High School (10 sq. m.)

Ibaraki Welfare and Medical Center Lobby (10 sq. m.)

Mito City Hall Assembly Hall (16 sq. m.), and others

Juried Exhibitions

Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition, Eastern Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition, Ibaraki Prefectural Art Exhibition, and others

Publications

"Tou-Koubou" No. 73 (Seibundo Shinkosha), "Ceramics Kiln Firing Master Book" (Seibundo Shinkosha), "Toyu" Nos. 158 & 160 (Express Media Publishing), "Encyclopedia of Ceramic Patterns" (Seibundo Shinkosha), Nihonmono (nakata.net)

Public Collections

Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum