Psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), in his theory of self-actualization, said, "If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life."
At 96 years old, the grand potter of Hagi, Miwa Jusetsu (formerly Kyusetsu XI) is a very happy man indeed. A Living National Treasure, Miwa once wrote, similarly to Maslow, that "the arts are an expression of individuality, an exposure of one's character, and I know that the full-realization of one's character is the most important thing."
How can a maker of chawan -- tea bowls -- express his inner soul in a form of such extreme limitations? A chawan is certainly not a canvas where the possibilities of texture and color are endless. Nor does it allow for distorted sculptural shapes that would render it useless -- after all, a chawan is meant to be used to drink whipped-powdered green tea. It's a bowl, pure and simple.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.