Masahiko Ando
1973 Born into a family of antique dealers that has been in existence since his grandfather's generation
2002 Self-taught in pottery
2004 Moves his studio to Jinya, Seto City.
2007 Moves his studio to Hatsuhara-cho, Tajimi City.
2009 Builds a wood-fired kiln.
Exhibits at department stores and galleries throughout Japan.
Mame-mukozuke is a coined term named by Masahiko Ando, which refers to the mukozuke used in kaiseki cuisine (a type of dish used over a bowl and soup) that has been reduced to the size of the palm of one's hand.
The concept is to resize Oribe ware mukozuke from museums, art galleries, and excavated objects, and currently over 600 types have been produced.
They are also used in Michelin-starred restaurants and Hoshinoya.
Mino has a 1,300-year history of pottery production, and thanks to its high-quality soil, pottery production has flourished.
In particular, Oribe ware, which is said to have been led by Oribe Furuta, a feudal lord in the Momoyama period (1573-1600), was the first Japanese pottery that blended Japanese and Western influences and ancient Japanese culture at a time.