Makoto Asebi is a Japanese potter based in Kamakura, Japan. Raised in Sapporo, the mountainous northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Kamakura is slightly contrasting. A coastal town less than an hour south of Tokyo and is a popular location known for its many temples and shrines. The area where he resides has a rural feel and Makoto’s workshop also follows suit, with its wooden shutters and natural planting that scatter the grounds of his studio.

Feeding off this, Makoto Asebi mainly makes functional pottery using simple black and white glazes. This makes it easy for his aesthetic and character to shine through, as well as offering a blank canvas for different food and drink to sit inside. Many of the pieces are not entirely symmetrical, showing the hand of the maker and connecting you to the process itself.

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