Imari's International Amateur Ceramics Contest

April 1st to the 11th Saga Prefecture's (佐賀県） Imari city （伊万里市）hosted their annual International Amateur Ceramics Contest. It is held in Okawamachi's （大川町）Nabashima Ceramics building. (鍋島焼会館）Any amateur potter in Japan can participate, foreign or Japanese. This was my first contest to participate in and my first time going to Imari's Okawamachi. This event is every year and potters young and old from all over Japan send in their pieces to get judged. The top prize is 80000 yen, second prize is 30000 yen and 3rd place (going to two people) is 20000 yen.


These are the top three places this year. 1st prize goes to Nakazaki from Nagoya city,(green plate) second place goes to Harumi from Tokyo,(black vase) 3rd places go to Maeda from Wakayama prefecture (2 person statue) and Amin from Tokyo. (brown vase to the far left) Congratulations!

These pieces made honorable mention and are my personal favorites.

Owl figure and a vase with eggplants on it.

















Kids are also involved in the contest, here are a few of my favorite figurines.











Lastly here's my piece! The turtle in the middle. I didn't win anything this year, but I hope to next year! I was the only turtle in the whole show hehe.