Beyond Tradition

To many, spending four years in Japan apprenticed to a master ceramicist might sound idyllic. Days shaped by fire and clay; devotion to a centuries-old craft; receiving hands-on instruction from a living national treasure. Yet ceramic artist Yuichi Romita speaks candidly about his time in Karatsu. While he emerged from the sheltered pottery with deep expertise in a revered ceramic tradition, in a sense, he had to relearn the art of creativity.

“I spent four years of living and breathing a particular type of pottery,” he reflects. “I left Japan confident with my skills, but I hadn’t developed my own style. Now, in my practice, I want to push boundaries and be continuously curious.”

Having grown up in England, Yuichi travelled to Japan after university to reconnect with his mother’s roots. Through a friend of a friend in Karatsu, he was introduced to the Nanban Yakishime pottery workshop, practising a style of ceramics recognised by its unglazed, wood-fired finish. After six months working as an assistant – cleaning, cooking, sweeping the studio floors – the head potter recognised Yuichi’s strong work ethic and offered to train him in his cherished ceramics tradition.

Throughout the apprenticeship, Yuichi’s mornings began early, his days unfolding in a tight, disciplined rhythm. His sensei was strict and regimented, expecting the same from his pupils. “It could be tough, mentally and physically. I really respect the tradition behind it, but traditions wouldn’t exist without innovation.”

This particular tradition involves throwing pots on the wheel in swift succession, where an instinctive hand and an acceptance of slight imperfection are important tools for the task. Working at a steady pace, bound by the expectation of efficiency, Yuichi learned to let each piece emerge organically, capturing a fleeting moment in time rather than dwelling in the pursuit of a perfected object.

“The beauty of throwing quickly is that it captures the energy of the clay,” Yuichi reflects. “It's more expressive, in a way. Often, the greater time you spend on a piece, the more rigid it becomes.” ‘Energy’ may seem an unexpected word for this kind of Japanese pottery. Rooted in a rustic sensibility that honours the raw quality of the clay, these works are nevertheless admired for their restraint and serenity of form. One has to look closely to see the movement of a piece; the subtle warp of a rim or the unique character of an almost-straight wall.

Now based in Mälmo, Sweden, after first moving to Scandinavia for a residency in Denmark, Yuichi has cultivated a practice that balances inherited craftsmanship with a sense of individualism. While he still favours wood firing and wheel-throwing, he plays with more ‘risky’ techniques along the way, pushing both the material and the process to their limits.

Yuichi purposefully packs the kiln tightly before firing, leaving less space between vessels for the flames to squeeze through. This results in increased pressure, causing distinctive shifts of colour, ash deposits and surface variations. “I like this type of firing because I'm not a very decorative person,” he says. “It's almost like a collaboration – I really think about the form, and the rest, I leave to the kiln.” Describing wood firing as “magical,” Yuichi evidently enjoys the unpredictability of the process. “Even being based near a river or on top of a mountain can affect the atmosphere or the quality of the firing.”

But for Yuichi, the ‘finish’ achieved in the kiln is only just the beginning. His mentor taught him to view the final product as 70% complete, with the remaining 30% determined by those who interact with the piece once it leaves the workshop. “Over time, it absorbs oils and moisture in the air, developing a kind of patina. You see it on a lot of ancient pots.”

For the TOAST New Makers 2026 collection, Yuichi has created a small tableware selection. “I wanted them to be elegant, but also quite animal-like.” He describes his cups as “chubby”, resembling the rounded profiles of birds in winter. The tea caddy is based on a traditional shape, but reimagined with a hint of humour. “In my eyes, it has a hat, rather than a lid,” he laughs.

Each of these pieces is made to be used and reused. Being grounded in a ceramics tradition where functionality leads, Yuichi’s forms begin with their intended use: how a serving of tofu will sit in a plate, or the tactility of a teacup resting in someone’s hands. “I want people to experience my work. I don’t want it to just sit on a shelf, gathering dust. It’s made to be used.” Crafted in a studio in Sweden, these pieces find their true purpose as patina builds and wear becomes part of their story.

Shop our New Makers 2026 collection.

Words by Bébhinn Campbell.

Photography by Mattias Björklund.