Nichibei Pottery

Blending traditional Japanese  folk art designs with a contemporary flair results in an innovative collection of hand made pottery that is unmistakably Nichibei Pottery. 

 Works include, bowls, vases, teapots, decorative vessels, jars, and stoneware. Known for the jade color, which is unique to Nichibei, is created by applying a copper glaze, then high firing at 2,400 degrees. Each piece represents the balance, form, function, and skill of the potters.

Mikio Matsumoto worked as a commodities broker in Japan, but always had a keen interest in the arts. He became a potter after moving to California in 1985, and found clay to be a good medium for expressing his personal ideas. Mikio’s sense of precision is visible in the meticulously carved jars, porcelain sculptures and carved animals.

Cheryl Costantini has had a life-long interest in pottery, culture and traditional artistic values. In 1978 she traveled to Japan to study pottery. For the next 6 years she learned her craft by working in three Japanese potteries. Cheryl's commitment to traditon rather than trend is seen in her elegant vases and classic teapots.

Working as a team and trained for several years in Japan, Mikio and Cheryl have been creating elegant, traditional porcelain high fire Japanese Folk Art Pottery since 1985.Meticulous carving and Classic tenmoku,ash,copper, and chabuten glazes, meet contemporary design. Literally translated, Nicheibei means “Japan and America” They live and work in rural Sonoma County, California, and exhibit both in the United States and Japan.