Japanese Raku pottery has a 450 years tradition. It was initially inspired by a request by the founder of the Japanese tea ceremony, Sen no Rikyu. It is a uniquely Japanese technique basically practiced by the same Kyoto family for fifteen generations. The family has some interesting rules that guide the hand-over of the business. First, the family believes that if the father explains everything to the son, nothing is learned. So each generation has to look for its own glazing and forming technique. Secondly, the basic technique including kiln has not been changed for over 450 years. And thirdly, the father never comments on the son's works. And fourthly, the clay is prepared by one generation for the next generation. Therefore often the clay used is over sixty years old.
The current master of sixty years, Raku Kichizaemon XV, never asked his father anything, he rather experimented on his own. This was his way of rebellion against his father.
Kyoto has a wonderfully small museum dedicated to the marvelous history of the Raku family: http://www.raku-yaki.or.jp/e/index.html
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