Raku
Raku
Raku
Welcome
to Japan -
STEFAN JAKOB
Evelyne Schoenmann his students busy during raku firings. This which has a usable firing chamber of ap-
proves to be pretty difficult when there proximately 27 cm in height and diam-
is only one kiln available. So he thought eter and is fired with wood. For one fir-
up a “peoples’” raku kiln. After a lengthy ing, about two shoe boxes full of finely
phase of trial and error and continual im- split firewood are needed. 1000°C can be
provements, he developed the now widely reached in half an hour. Stefan Jakob’s
known dustbin raku kiln. This kiln can be latest development is a high temperature
built quite simply and cheaply. The parts wood kiln that can be fired to 1300°C!
the invitation. On 4 November 2014, he correct materials so that the treasure kiln with me made of lightweight insu-
flew to Japan to spend a month in the hunters could often be seen standing lating bricks based on my high-temper-
land of the rising sun. The culture shock helplessly in front of the shelves. How- ature kiln made from a stainless steel
was not long in coming: not only the ever, they finally managed to find eve- bucket. Of course we went right ahead
insights into the culture and society of rything on their shopping list. That was and fired it too, reaching 1280°C in only
the country and the intense experience reason enough for Stefan to take a short three hours.” After spending five days
of living at close quarters with a Japa- trip before the workshop proper began, with Masakazu San, he had to take his
nese family for nearly four weeks, but so he took a train to Fukushima, where leave to return in time for the planned
also the rituals, language and the cuisine he was awaited by Masakazu Kusakabe. workshop in Sasama.
took some getting used to, but Japanese Masakazu is a kiln builder and potter Before this, however, a series of work-
friends offered their support and assis- whom Stefan had met at a woodfiring shops at Japanese schools was sched-
tance. Right on the day after his arrival, conference in Germany. Stefan relates, uled. Stefan describes the workshops
all of the parts and materials to build the “Masakazu took me straight on a tour with Japanese schoolchildren like this:
kilns had to be sourced and purchased. lasting several days, introducing me to “On two days, Shozo, Masa, Watami
Together with Watami, the interpreter, his friend Yashitshi Watanabe, a callig- and I, with a number of helpers, drove
and a further helper, Stefan made his rapher who paints his letters exclusively to three schools in the prefecture of Shi-
way to various “home centers” in Shi- with frogs. On the Tuesday morning, zuoka. We ran small workshops with a
mada, and to the ones in Seto together Masakazu could no longer restrain him- total of six classes. First I gave a brief il-
with Shozo. It was not easy to find the self; he wanted to build a small wood lustrated presentation about Switzerland