Kinrande/金襴手/gold leaf hana/flower karakusa/唐草/foilage mon/文/image guinomi

The Yoshida family is in charge of the Nishikiyama kiln, which specializes in aka-e kinrande, a highly decorative porcelain tradition using gold and red enamel painting in brocade-patterns of Kutani wares in Ishikawa. In 1951, Yoshida Minori, who had been making pottery since high school, took over the family business and became the third generation head of the family. Since then, he has been experimenting with numerous traditional techniques characteristic to the Nishikiyama Kiln while refining them in innovative ways.
The artist is recognized for his graceful application of yuri-kinsai, an under-glazed gold decorative porcelain. This method was developed in the 1960’s in Kanazawa. Gold-leaf cut-outs in patterns are applied prior to glazes, rather than by the traditional process of painting patterns in gold pigments by brush. His technique is a perfect marriage of the elegant Kutani porcelain tradition with kinpaku or gold-leaf, a highly prized local product from Kaga domain, Ishikawa. This method opened up a new frontier in the world of gold-colored porcelain in Japan. Yoshida is regarded as the leading figure in this field. In 2001, he was awarded the Medal of Purple Ribbon and was designated a Living National Treasure.

１９３２年　石川県に生まれる。
１９５１年　 錦山窯を継ぎ三代目となる。
１９６２年　武蔵野美術短期大学の特修生として
　　　　　　 工芸デザインを学ぶ。
１９６３年 　第二回九谷焼新作展県知事賞受賞。
１９６７年　九谷焼新作展県議会議長賞受賞
１９７２年　釉裏金彩の制作を始める。
　　　　　 　石川県デザイン展金沢市長賞受賞。
１９７４年　日本伝統工芸展入選。
１９７６年　朝日陶芸展受賞。
１９７８年　一水会陶芸展一水会賞受賞。
１９８０年　第三回伝統九谷焼工芸展優秀賞受賞。
１９８４年　中日国際陶芸展受賞、 日本伝統工芸展奨励賞受賞。
１９８５年　中日国際陶芸展受賞
１９９２年　高松宮記念賞受賞。
　　　　　　 県の無形文化財保持者に認定。
１９９５年　日本陶磁協会賞受賞。
２００１年　紫殿褒章受章・石川県文化功労賞受賞
　　　　　　 国の重要無形文化財（釉裏金彩）保持者に認定。
２００６年　旭日小綬章受章。
加藤土師萌の影響を受け釉裏金彩の技法に取り掛かり、その技を極限まで高めた作家です。
金箔と釉薬で表現される格調高い作品は国内外で高い評価を博しています。