Sachiko

Yokota

​Sachiko Yokota was born in Japan. She graduated from Yokohama National University in 1975. She first came to California as a travel writer for Mainichi Newspaper Co., Ltd. She traveled all 47 prefectures in Japan, including the major cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto where she gathered information about traditional Japanese culture.

Besides writing books about the many different traditional Japanese foods that are found throughout Japan, she also introduced the Japanese public to a lot of unique pottery that is made in different locations through-out Japan.

The relationship between traditional Japanese foods and their ceramic containers is very deep in Japanese culture. She always imagines the eating style when she makes UTSUWA (containers in Japanese). The size is of primary importance but the shape and the kind of clay to be used in making the utsuwa are also important. After the bisque stage, she takes time to make the perfect glazing that will enhance the presentation of the food that that particular utsuwa will hold.

She also likes to create ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) vases,lamps and Japanese-style fountains. When she makes them, she uses a lot of different firing techniques, including low fire, raku, naked raku and pit firing. Regardless of what she is creating in the moment, each is an attempt to express the combination of her Japanese taste with her unique style.