"Satsuma Yaki"
Shima san does all process by himself. Makes body with 'rokuro', fires it, and does over glazed decoration and firing. So he is completely free from all restrictions and can make his art works perfectly as he wants.
However, this way is not said 'efficient' compared to division of labor. He has two kilns, one is for firing body and another is for decorating firing. We can easily imagine how many works, skills, equipment and preparations will be needed in every different processes.
He says most difficult technique is 'Kin wo Orosu' - which means ' transfer enough gold from brush to body'. Gold powder is melt(blended) in the 'nikawa' , Japanese traditional glue. Without 'nikawa', gold can not be painted, but after decorating firing, 'nikawa' will go away. While painting, gold looks enough thick, but often not skilled painters know it was not enough after firing. Shima san says this 'Kin wo Orasu' process needs most difficult skill.
At minimum, Shima san fires 4 times. 1)biscuit firing, 2) glazed firing, 3) decorating firing and 4) gold paint firing. It is minimum case, and if picture needs gold background, he must fire more a few times.
Recently very few artisans can do the gold paint finely as he does, and we believe no one can make by himself consistently from clay to gold painting.

Well used hand pad!


Yuzan san paints with keeping his hand apart from the china body. We can not believe he can do so without quivering.


Most difficult process is 'Kin wo Orosu', which means ' transfer enough gold from brush to body'.


Other colors pigments.


Doing 'furi', painting the gold background. He doesn't stick the brush to the surface, makes gold pigment to shower ( 'furu').


This piece has already done 'furi' , color painted and burned. But not finished yet.


Minute gold paints are added and incredible picture is completed. Of course, at last it must be burn again. All their works are burned more than 4 times!