Encounter with the Mingei movement, Fujinayaki

Michitada (fourth generation) was born in 1900. He studied western painting at an art school in Tokyo in his youth, and when he took over his family business he began wondering what to do with it. It was around that time that he met Ōhara Magosaburō of Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft, and became acquainted with Hamada Shōji, Bernard Leach and Yanagi Muneyoshi (Sōetsu) known for their involvement in the Mingei (folkcraft) movement. By the time of Kenji (fifth generation), the Mingei movement had become popular nationwide. Although Funaki Kiln is sometimes considered as part of the Mingei movement, Kenji’s connection with the Mingei movement was personal. He may have been influenced by the movement, but Funaki Kiln on the whole was not involved in promoting the movement.