HomeA very talented potter in Japan, Akihiro Nikaido’s pottery and how to handle them
04/26/2022
An exhibition by a Japanese pottery artist, Akihiro Nikaido was held in my town. I visited the exhibition and bought 2 dishes created by him. His potteries are delicate and it shows the warmth of clay. Let me introduce his works and how to care for them.
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二階堂 明弘 (Akihiro Nikaido)
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Japanese pottery artist. Born in 1977 in Sapporo. He currently lives and works in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. He holds solo exhibitions both in Japan and outside of Japan, including in New York, Paris, London, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai.
For more details and pictures, visit his official website and Instagram.
–> Official website
–> Instagram
His works
I bought 2 bowls. One bowl is white, the other black. I am excited about what kind of food to present to them.
They look like this from the side.
Things you need to do before using
Pottery generally requires a preparation called “medome”. Pottery has many small, invisible bumps, and when food gets into them, discoloration and odor migration can occur. “Medome” is the process of coating the surface to prevent it. It also prevents stains and cracks. To do “medome”, boil pottery in the water left over from washing rice.
However, I didn’t do “medome” this time because the shop staff told me to put some oil for his pottery. Here is the preparation I did.
1. Wash the bowls with tap water and dry completely
Do not use dish soap as the soap may remain in the bowl.
2. Oil the bowls
I used a paper towel to oil the bowls. If you apply too much oil, it will be too sticky. Apply a small amount at a time. Use clear oil, not colored oil like olive oil. I used rice oil.
Don’t forget the other side of the bowls.
3. Done!
It looks a little shiny. Dip the bowls in water each time before use to prevent stains.
Where to buy
I found a website where you can buy them online. English is also available. However, I couldn’t find if they ship outside Japan.
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