The Birth of a Dragon at Tosen Kiln

On a clear day in December, Team Musubi made their way to Kyoto to further explore the heart of its ceramic traditions. Though the autumn foliage season had passed, Kyoto Station still buzzed with tourists trailing their suitcases. Our destination was Tosen Kiln, a gallery and workshop nestled on Gojozaka near Kiyomizu Temple, in a historic district lined with pottery shops and studios.

This area is also home to traditional wooden buildings called Kyo-machiya, a hallmark of Kyoto’s traditional architectural style. Whether an old machiya townhouse or a newly constructed shop, all the structures share the same narrow width, a feature that reflects Kyoto’s history. In the past, these dwellings often combined a storefront facing the street with living quarters at the back, and even today, many of them are rebuilt to the same dimensions.

And upon seeing Tosen Kiln’s Kyo-machiya, with its distinctive wooden façade and artisanal noren fluttering at the entrance, we felt that we had finally arrived in Kyoto.

We parted the painted folds of the noren, which was brushed with Tosen Kiln’s signature designs, and slid open the glass door of the gallery. Taniguchi, the fourth-generation head of Tosen Kiln, greeted us with a kind smile.

At the back of the gallery, hot water was gently boiling in a traditional iron kettle set in the center of a table. Here, Taniguchi used one of the kiln’s signature Choju Giga motif teapots to treat us to hot tea, serving it in a set of small teacups that each featured a different character from the Choju Giga. 

He wiped away small drops of tea with a cloth, which he neatly placed in a cylindrical holder painted with what we recognized as the kiln’s weeping cherry blossom design. The holder was a fukin-tate, a simple cylindrical stand resembling a pen holder and featuring small ventilation holes. It immediately caught our attention. Curious, I asked, “Is this something people still use?” Taniguchi explained, “It was a customer’s request. People don’t use these much anymore, but I heard that fukin-tate were common in the past, so I decided to make one.”

While there are tools for hanging and drying dishcloths in a kitchen, having a fukin-tate right at the table felt like such a delightful idea. Decorated with a charming design and with those small ventilation holes, it wasn’t just that it was a practical item—it was also the graceful way Taniguchi used it that made me want one for myself. Watching him, I found myself imagining how wonderful it would be to host with such elegance and ease.

The tea we were served warmed us to the core. The first cup was sweet, while the second carried a slightly bitter note. Both tasted deliciously refined.

After we finished our tea, Taniguchi guided us to the back of the store. What awaited us felt like stepping into another world, one that took us back in time.

The space had once been an old kitchen. Though no longer in use, its long, narrow layout still held traces of the past: a well, a cooking area, and remnants of a traditional hearth. The ceiling was high, designed to let smoke escape when fires were lit. Beams blackened with soot crossed overhead, while a ray of light streamed gently through a skylight, perfectly positioned to illuminate the cooking area at noon. On one wall hung a talisman dedicated to the god of fire, quietly watching over the room.

When Taniguchi was a child, water was drawn from the well to fill a basin for baths or to cool fruits and vegetables. This scene of an “old Japan” fascinated everyone, prompting them to peer into the depths of the well and gaze up at the beams above, their curiosity evident.

Taniguchi led us further into the building and up a set of stairs. On the second floor, an artisan was busy at work, carefully painting dragon designs onto mugs.

In contrast to Tosen Kiln’s previous pieces, their iconic dragon motif uses only black, no other colors, giving it a clean and strikingly simple look. The soft clouds and the sharp lines of the dragon’s body are skillfully distinguished using bold, black strokes of a pigment known as kyu-gosu. Accustomed to the brighter blue tones of traditional underglaze gosu painting, the color felt incredibly new to me.

Kyu-gosu refers to a natural black pigment acquired more than fifty years ago and carefully preserved until its recent use in the dragon design. Today, very few other kilns still utilize this rare pigment.

Dragons painted on temple ceilings or fusuma sliding doors are almost always depicted in black ink, reminiscent of traditional ink wash painting, while dragons on ceramics are typically created in sometsuke with a blue underglaze. However, Taniguchi felt that the deep black tones of kyu-gosu—evoking the essence of ink wash painting—were the most fitting for a dragon motif. To master this unfamiliar pigment, he and his team undertook countless refinements before finally bringing the design to life.

The dragon is drawn in a single color, with soft clouds painted around it to create contrast. In the beginning, however, both the dragon and the clouds appeared indistinct. Taniguchi explained that achieving the perfect pigment density and line thickness to clearly differentiate them was a significant challenge. Over the course of six months to a year, they went through a meticulous process of trial and error—painting, firing, and refining—before finally perfecting the design.

“Kyu-gosu, unlike other pigments, requires slow and deliberate application to bring out its full color potential. Because of this, adjustments had to be made to the speed of the brushstrokes, the type of brush used, and other techniques. The process involved repeated trial and error and evaluations of the results. Using a new pigment rather than the familiar ones meant that our approach, timing, and techniques all had to change. There were many aspects that couldn’t simply be overcome with experience, and I was reminded of how much of a challenge it was to embark on something new,” explained Taniguchi.

With this interview, I realized the true depth of the Dragon series. By stripping away unnecessary details and focusing on simplicity, the dragons’ raw power and presence were brought to life. Taniguchi’s determination to use kyu-gosu and his vision to create a series with such bold restraint were truly impressive. It became clear that this design was the culmination of his ambition and the artisans’ dedication—a story of craftsmanship that deserves admiration.

On a board near a wooden-framed window sat familiar Sakura series bowls, their underdrawings complete and waiting for the next step. Soft sunlight filtered through the frosted glass, as if the bowls themselves were quietly awaiting spring, ready for their blossoms to bloom.

After touring the workshop, we headed downstairs to further explore the gallery. It was filled with a mix of familiar items and pieces we had never seen before, prompting everyone to pepper Taniguchi with questions.

One particular display caught my eye: a small condiment dish paired with a tiny spoon, alongside another dish holding a miniature hishaku ladle—a traditional Japanese dipper often used for scooping water. Originally designed as a condiment dish or chopstick rest, Taniguchi told us it turned out to be perfect for calligraphy enthusiasts to add water to their ink. He also suggested that chopstick rests could even double as calligraphy brush rests.

While some of Taniguchi’s ideas for new products undoubtedly come from his own creativity, he always values feedback like this from the people who use his items. He listens closely to suggestions and tries to bring ideas to life. I’m always impressed by his flexible mindset.

For example, Tosen Kiln’s matcha whisk holder, one of MUSUBI KILN’s best-selling items, is a great reflection of this approach. In traditional tea ceremonies, this item is typically understated and not used during the ceremony itself. However, Taniguchi created a holder that not only straightens and stores the whisk but is also beautiful enough to leave on display. Having a matcha set within easy reach makes preparing matcha feel much more enjoyable. I believe the popularity of the holder comes down to Taniguchi’s creative adaptability and his ability to reimagine a once-hidden tool with such artistry.

And just like that, our visit to Tosen Kiln came to an end. We uncovered the secrets behind the Dragon series and caught a glimpse of the rich history nestled in the Kyo-machiya. For us as a business that gets to share these beautiful creations with customers around the world, we believe it’s not just about introducing new designs—it’s about showing how these pieces can become part of everyday life. 

That’s what makes chatting with Taniguchi so enjoyable. He’s always happy to share unexpected ways his pieces can be used, along with stories and feedback from customers and retailers alike. Every conversation with him is full of inspiration and sparks excitement about what’s to come.

Even now, back at his Gojozaka gallery, Taniguchi is likely deep in conversation with customers from near and far, gathering fresh ideas that will soon take shape in his next creations. Even now, back at his Gojozaka gallery, Taniguchi is likely deep in conversation with customers from near and far, gathering fresh ideas that will soon take shape in his next creations.