The founder of the Ina Seitō corporation(today’s LIXIL), Ina Chōzaburō(1890–1980), sought to support the Tokoname ceramics industry and donated funds establishing the Tokoname Tounomori Ceramic Art Institute in 1961. Horiguchi Sutemi(1895–1984), the celebrated modernist architect also known for his teahouse research, designed its building. Since the time the institute began training young students, many of them have become independent ceramists, and today some are quite active internationally.