Shoji Kamoda
加守田 章二
(1933-1983)
In 1967, Kamoda was awarded the Takamura Kōtarō Prize, the first ever given to a potter, marking the beginning of his rise to prominence. By 1969, after relocating to Tōno city in Iwate Prefecture, Kamoda developed his distinctive style, combining curving lines, inscriptions, and colour in his pottery. His creations, always functional yet far from conventional, redefined the relationship between form, surface, and decoration.
In 1983 Kamoda sadly passed away at the age of 49, but his legacy remains monumental. Even today, his groundbreaking contributions to ceramics continue to inspire artists, with his forms and surface designs being widely imitated and reinterpreted. His popularity in Japan during his lifetime has translated into lasting admiration, with collectors and museums across the world.