Tamba-Sasayama is a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk art in the Hyogo prefecture of Japan near Kyoto. Tamba ware (Tamba Yaki) was established at the end of the Heian period (around the second half of the 12th century). In the Middle Ages, pots, jars, and bowls were produced with a bright brown color resembling natural scenery on the surface of the vessel. This occurred when the ash of the firewood in the kiln fell and melted on the vessel and became a natural glaze called moegiiro. In the early Edo period, the surface of the vessel was coated with a decorative clay with a high iron content, called "red clay (akadobe),” which is still in use today. Tamba-Sasayama is home to the oldest of Japan's six ancient kilns was certified as a Japan Heritage Site in 2017.
Yuki Ogami is a ceramic artist whose work bridges Japanese tradition and contemporary expression. After graduating from Kanazawa College of Art in 2009, he studied under Goro Suzuki in 2012. In 2013, he embarked on a journey around the world, experiencing traditional crafts in many different cultures. These encounters continue to inform his creative practice.
Ogami has held numerous solo exhibitions at leading department stores such as Daimaru Kobe, Takashimaya Kyoto, and Mitsukoshi in Ginza and Nagoya. His works have been showcased internationally, including a group exhibition of Tamba ware in Portland, USA. He has also been selected for major competitions such as the International Ceramic Exhibition and the World Crafts Biennale. In 2021, he received the Newcomer Encouragement Prize at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition (Kinki Branch).
