Yosaku Isokichi is born in Terai on february 26th 1913. He first learned ceramic from his father. In 1928 he became student from Tokuda Yasokichi 1st and. from Kitade Tojiro in 1946.He learned multicolor enamel. He was awarded the same year a prize by the Japan Fine Arts Assiociation, Nitten, for the first time. He attended many exhibitions and got a prize from the Prime Minister in 1977.
He received also the Prime Minister Prize and the Japan Art Academy Award in 1981.
In 1993, Isokichi museum opened in Terai city. He was nomminated as a person
who has contributed to culture in 1992 and received the Order of Cultural Merit
in 1996. He was member of Japan Art Academy, Adviser of Nitten and President
of the Association of Ishikawa Prefectural Arts and Culture.
He paints freely in modern style not too far from Kutani original colors and
like to give space to the motifs of his potteries. His products have fantastic
pictures such as yellow butterflies dancing on camellias. In the last part of
his life, he had the tendancy of not using at all any akae (red) paint.
昭和５９年に 県内の陶芸家として初の日本芸術院会員に就任。受賞（章）歴は、
４３年北國文化賞、５２年日展内閣総理大臣賞、５６年日本芸術院賞、
５９年勲四等旭日小綬章を受け、６１年に寺井町の名誉町民に選ばれた。
平成４年、九谷焼関係者で初めて文化功労者として顕彰された。
平成５年、日展顧問となる。平成８年文化勲章受賞。
Born in 1913 in Terai. After finishing elementary school, he learned pottery
and porcelain technique from his father. In 1928 he started learning from Tokuda
Yasokichi the First. In 1946 he earned Iroe Polychrome from Kitade Tajiro. Later
he created his own contemporary Kutani world based on traditional Kutani styles:
kokusai techniques (relief, mounding, and hairline carving on colored clay bases),
jisho (use of tow types of clay with different shrink ratios to purposely get
cracking and discoloration), Asakura color glazes (deep, subdued colors), and
in his later years created many fine works using plantinum leaf.
In 1946 he won the first Japan Exhibition prize, a feat he has repeated many
times since. In 1952 and 1955 he was awarded the Japan Exhibition's 'Hokuto
Award' and in 1957 he was awarded both Grand Prix and 'Hokuto Award.' In 1977
he was awarded the Prime Minister's Award at the Japan Exhibition, followed
by the Japan Art Academy Award in 1980. In 1984 he bcame a member of the Japan
Art Academy, in 1992 a Person of Cultural Merit, and in 1996 was awarded the
Order of Cultural Merit.
He died in April, 1998.