First Time at the Potter's Wheel

Majoring in ceramics at university meant confronting the essential skill of throwing on the potter's wheel, or rokuro. This technique is the cornerstone of creating pottery and porcelain. Having previously focused on drawing, crafts, and painting, this was Maeta's first experience with a potter's wheel.

“At first, I really struggled to throw on the wheel. I was so bad I almost gave up. But I had to complete my assignments to move on to the next year, so I desperately kept at it. Eventually, I started to discover how enjoyable it could be.”

Once he got the hang of it, all he had to do was practice. Maeta became so captivated by wheel throwing that he started looking forward to every new assignment. Although his university lectures only covered the fundamentals, by the summer of his third year, he had become skilled enough to throw vases over 30 cm tall.

“I came from the countryside, didn't have much money, and wasn't great at making friends. So I just spent my time alone in the studio, focused on the wheel. I guess I got better without even realizing it.”

As he quietly dedicated himself to the wheel, a fateful encounter was just around the corner.