Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

School

As anyone who lives in New York City knows, the city can be stressful at times. Finding a source of calm and relaxation is a vital part of city survival, and I recently discovered a tranquil refuge nestled just three flights up from the hustle and bustle of midtown Manhattan.

New York Togei Kyoshitsu, located at 5 W. 30th St., is a pottery studio run by Ms. Mako Nishimori with the help of her daughter, Lisa. Ms. Nishimori trained as a sculptor in Japan and, encouraged by her late husband, began working in ceramics. Mr. Nishimori was formerly in the restaurant business and started making his own dishes to save money. In 1994, he opened the New York Togei Kyoshitsu, one of the few pottery studios in the city with a distinctly Japanese style.

When I entered the studio, Ms. Nishimori and Lisa immediately put me at ease. The studio is a busy yet calm and clean workspace, with other students sitting at the pottery wheels or glazing their pieces in the back. Ms. Nishimori operates the studio both as a school and a workshop; the truly dedicated can rent small rooms within the studio and have 24-hour access to the space.

Lisa, my kind and informative instructor for the day, has studied pottery both in New York and Japan (her early pottery experience included making chopstick rests for her father’s restaurant). I signed up for the taiken (trial) course, which includes an introduction to basic Japanese pottery techniques and the creation of a hand-built cup and plate. Lisa began by demonstrating kikuneri, a traditional Japanese method of kneading clay. She made me feel better about my inept fumbling when she told me that, in Japan, apprentices usually spend three years becoming proficient at kikuneri. We looked at various examples of cups and plates, and I drew some sketches for my own pieces. Lisa explained that the studio—and Japanese pottery in general—emphasizes everyday use and the feel of the object. She encouraged me to put some character into my cup, to give it personality as well as functionality. I worked under Lisa’s watchful eye and was grateful for her helpful advice as my cup and plate began to take shape. I had to leave the pieces to be fired in the kiln—I’m already looking forward to returning to the studio to glaze them.

Many of the studio’s members have artistic backgrounds—some are architects and interior designers who want to make their own objects—and some are people just looking for an escape from the pressures of everyday life. One fellow student, a former museum curator originally from Japan, revealed that she had always wanted to study Japanese pottery and never guessed that she would be able to do it in New York. Now she regularly visits for relaxation, saying, “When I come here and make something, I feel really peaceful.”

I, too, can honestly say that by the end of my several hours of instruction and communion with the clay, I left with a greater sense of calm. And soon I will have a unique cup and plate as well!

Repoterd by Kate Williamson
Photo by Louis Chan

New York Togei Kyoshitsu
5 West 30th St., 3rd floor
(bet. 5th St. & Broadway)
New York, NY 10001
TEL: 212-268-1711
www.nytogei.com

Classes
Tebineri (Hand-Building) 4 lessons for $245
Rokuro (Wheel-Throwing) 6 lessons for $430
One-day trial course $35
*All sessions are arranged by appointment.
*There is a one-time $50 entrance fee for the classes and open studio sessions. No credit cards accepted.