Teshima Toen

Teshima Toen

Teshima Toen is a ceramics workshop on the island of Teshima, which is located in the remote Seto Inland Sea in Japan. The ceramic workshop is run by Emi Matsubara and Ryohei Matsushita. The two met at the Kyoto Ceramic Art School and moved to Teshima in 2020 to produce utility ceramics on the island, close to nature. Initially, they had material sent from the mainland to the small island with only 17 inhabitants (as of April 2025). Gradually, they began to look for the material they needed for their ceramic production on the island. Today, Emi and Ryohei produce ceramics from clay they collect themselves from the island's soil. They make their own glazes. From shells, minerals from the island and ashes from some of the plants that grow on the island, such as sunflowers or chili. Using this very elaborate process, the two produce beautiful plates, mugs and bowls; all truly unique pieces. Avoiding waste ("zero waste life") is a great motivation for Emi and Ryohei and is their contribution to protecting nature. Of course, the electric kiln for firing the ceramics is "fired" with self-produced renewable energy. We think this approach is great and worth supporting!

If you would like to know more about Emi and Ryohei, you can watch the following documentary on YouTube: Pottery Island - Zero Waste Life