72nd Setomono Festival

The 72nd Setomono Festival was hold in Seto city, Aichi prefecture, Japan
on September 13 and 14, 2003.
It seemed that there were a little few crowds compared with an ordinary year.
The reasons are presumed as follows:
1 Influence of a typhoon No. 14
The typhoon landed at the southernmost end of Okinawa on September 12,
took a northeast course on the Sea of Japan, causing much damage to the
Tohoku district, Hokkaido, and also South Korea.
2 Sweltering hot day
3 Change of layout of street stalls 【Note 1】
In two days, a total of about 550,000 people gathered at this festival.
At around 7:00 p.m. of the first day, when heat diminished, the festival was
crowded.
At 2nd day, I went to Shinano Ceramics Center [about 10 minutes by car
from Seto City Hall towards north east]. (See photos below)
Three junior high schools in Seto city have their ceramic making club
respectively, and exhibit for sale their students work at their street stalls
in this festival. I found from the concerned that the stall of Shinano junior
high school is in this Center since several years ago. I am looking forward
to seeing pottery-flower-pot covers (cases) produced by junio high school
students every year. This time, I did not have any plan to buy ceramics.
But the pot covers was too cheap considering the value. So, I bought 3 of
them. 【Note 2】 Although it is my subjectivity, Sninano junior high school
will be No.1 among the three schools in terms of the abundance of the number
and the valuabililty of the cover exhibit.
"Craft Community Festival 2003" was being held at 2nd floor of the Shinano
Ceramics Center. Two table settings of the exhibits there are shown below.
(See photos) Many entertainment events (or programs) are hold at Setomono
Festival at various places in Seto city every year. So, it will be enjoyable to
see or go around places other than areas along the Seto river.

【Note】
１　 Seto Civic Hall is pulled down and it is built as "Setogura" (hall which
　　 extended the function of the civic hall). The completion is expected by
　　 the time when The 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan , "Love, Exposition
　　 of Globe" will start on March 25, 2005 So, the place of the stall of the
　　 china work which the junior high school student (Minase junior high school
　　 and Motoyama junior high school) manufactured was moved to the Miyamae
　　 parking lot (on the south of "Fukagawa shrine") from the parking lot of Seto
　　 civic hall. Although stalls of handmade pottery work were concentrated at
　　 an area about 100 m to the east of Owari-Seto station until last year's festival,
　　 it seems that they were intermingled with usual stalls for sale of porcelain work
　　 along the Seto river. 　　　
２　I bought two pieces of pottery-flower-pot covers with a diameter of 30 cm and
　　one piece with a diameter of 25 cm. It cost 3500 yen by a total of three pieces.
　　I wonder if the cost of materials can be covered with this low prices.
　　Workmanship is excellent. Oribe or Kiseto is mainly used as the glaze for the
　　pottery work.　If it advertizes on a grand scale, it may be insufficient. In a
　　sense, it will be happy for a buyer that such work is not made known so much.
　　The work is really recommendable. Will the pottery-flower-pot covers be fired
　　at big Noborigama-kiln (climbing kilin with several chambers) in Shinanodai
　　primary school? For this presumed reason, the prices are so cheap?
　　[I will figure out the secret of low prices next year.]
３　Parking lot at Shinano Ceramics Center (free)
　　Capable of paking about 5 sightseeing buses and about 200 sedans.

【Remarks】
１　Brief introduction of Mr. Masahiro Kato
Born in December, 1949. His residence is near Oomatu and on the way to
Akazuyaki Hall. Along the way, there is a house of Mr. Shunto Kato, one of
great masters in contemporary ceramic art.
The following is cited from a explanation note about Tachihi pottery kiln
called "Kikutouen" :
An ancestor is a potter who founded a kiln which fired pottery with a glaze
of Oribe in Kanpo era 2 (1742). He worked for Nagoya Castle where he
produced pottery called "Oniwayaki" (ash-glazed pottery) .
Present generation, Mr. Masahiro Kato has been devoting himself to aiming
at a new folk craft writer who adopts and adds modern feeling.into traditional
pottery-producing skill such as 'Kohiki' or 'Mishimate'. every day.
２　Impression
In Akazu area, there are residence of many competent ceramic artists.
Both Mr. Shunto Kato and Mr. Sho Kato are great masters in
contemporary ceramic art. Mr. Yasuo Terada is called one of 100 ceramic
artists supporting the Japanese ceramic art community in the 21st century.
The place of their residence is Akazu. Besides them, many famous and
cometent ceramic artists live here.

Shinano Ceramic Center (external appearance)	Shinano Ceramic Center (inside)	Outside of the Center (bargain sale market)

Shinano junior high school (stall)	The stall (pottery-flower -pot covers)	Pottery-flower-pot covers (the dia. is mainly 25 cm or 30 cm)

Table setting (work)	Table setting (work) [made by Mr. Masahiro Kato]