Shimaoka Tatsuzo

Shimaoka Tatsuzō was a Japanese ceramic artist associated with the mingei movement. Born in Tokyo, he studied ceramics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology before apprenticing with Shoji Hamada in Mashiko.

He became known for Jōmon zōgan, a decorative technique combining rope-impressed patterns with slip inlay inspired by ancient Jōmon pottery. These textured surfaces became a defining feature of his wood-fired stoneware vessels.

Shimaoka exhibited widely in Japan and internationally and played an important role in promoting Mashiko ceramics abroad. In 1996 he was designated a Living National Treasure.