For this Meet Your Barista series, we share a story of our barista, Runatsu- whose kind personality and lovely smile always light up Kurasu Ebisugawa.

Runatsu is not only a trained barista, but also actually a professional potter- we asked Runatsu to share her story, and about her new collaborative product, runatsu Ryokka Katakuchi bowl.  

【Runatsu Kobayashi】

Born in Matsumoto, Nagano, Runatsu moved to Kyoto to attend a university. 

After choosing to major in pottery making, she spent her university days surrounded by nature, working with clays day after day.

While studying for her degrees, Runatsu lived in New Zealand on a working holiday visa. On her senior year, she created mainly flower vases with themes such as "scenery" and "memory"- her favorite process is shaping the piece using a turntable, and she feels that the atmosphere and the scenery of her hometown, Matsumoto, inspires her choice of color and shape. 

 

 

- We love the katakuchi, it's so cute! How did this come to be as a collaborative product with Kurasu? 

We have started to talk about this in January 2024, and after going through several samples and stages, we decided on this one.

We use this katakuchi bowl to serve matcha at the cafe. 

I'm excited to share this that this is my collaborative work with Kurasu as an independent artist, rather than making an original product for Kurasu. I may consider making more of something similar as my own work outside of Kurasu, but at the moment I'm crafting this only for the collaboration. 

 

- The katakuchi is available to purchase only at the cafe. How did you decide on that, rather than having it available online?

It's because I can make only a limited number of it at a time, and I also would like people to actually hold it in their hands, imagine it being a part of their everyday lives before welcoming it to their homes.

We see rise in popularity of tea ceremony and matcha outside of Japan, and I hope this katakuchi fits many different lifestyles across the globe. 

I also wish everyone to adopt my craft (not just this katakuchi) to use in a way that works for them the best- it is a katakuchi bowl for matcha, but I'd like everyone to put or anything they like, letting their imaginations run free.  

- This one looks like a flower. Could you share a bit about its concept and what inspired the design please? 

Actually, flower motif is one of the classics. 

I like to make white, simplistic pieces, with a subtle twist of sweetness and cute accent. I tend to be attracted to that kind of design when I buy something for myself as well.

I was exploring the design in April and May, so early spring, and that lush season inspired me to select a natural and floral motif.

 

- How do yo usually make your pottery pieces? What kind of process is involved?

I have a small kiln at home, but it's a very small one and I can fire only so much.

To make pottery you need to fire them twice- the first step I can stack the bowls so I do it at home, and I use a Kyoto city's public kiln to do the second step-the main firing. I rent the kiln at a Youth Activity Center in Higashiyama. 

 

- Didn't know there is a kiln you can rent- how wonderful! What about how you pick a clay? We know there are many shades and texture, but do you pick a clay first, or pick one that suits your design or the concept? 

I pick clay that fits what I want to make, or how and when it will be used by the client. 

I source my clay by 10kg from a clay shop in Kiyomizuyaki Pottery Complex in Yamashina, where our university sources their material from. 

 

- Since when have you been making pottery?

Since I majored pottery and ceramics at my university. I took a sabbatical year after my third year to live in New Zealand on a working holiday visa. After coming back, I picked up where I left off, finishing my final year.

It's been a year and a bit since I graduated, and I thought I'd stop making pottery for a while, but I'm coming back to it.

 

 

- Where can we find your other works? Do you take commissions? 

I post photos of my work on my Instagram,@runatsu_kobayashi.

I usually only take commissions from my friends as I cannot craft in bulk. 

 

- So you have lived in New Zealand- why did you take a sabbatical, rather than going there after the graduation? 

My friend at the university spoke English, and when I talked to her it was clear that she knows a whole different world I don't know, and it shocked me.

My life back then was focusing on one art of pottery making, but that shock urged me to take a step back to see a bigger picture, and widen my view to see the world. I also thought there is a chance that I can't travel once I graduate, so it was more like now or never. 

During my working holiday I wanted to learn something extra on top of the language, and since I loved cafes I started to look for a job as a barista. 

I have never worked at a cafe in Japan, but I was lucky that New Zealand has a lively coffee scene, and that I could get a job at a specialty coffee shop totally by chance.  My experience there led me to where I am today.

 

- How did you join Kurasu? Were you always thinking that you wanted to be a barista after graduation?

Actually, I started out as a part-timer here when I was still on my final year at uni. I was coming in twice a week, but then I had to quit to focus on my project. I have been to many cafes since then, but Kurasu's hospitality stuck to my mind, and I wanted to work at Kurasu again. So I applied for the job after I graduated.

 

- What are your future plans as a barista and an artist? 

While mastering a single art in solitude is cool, I'd love to nurture a community, chemistry, emotions, senses and connections that come from collaborations.

I'd like to create a lovely space and community by bringing something to it myself, and combining it to what others bring to it.

I hope my coffee and pottery adds something nice to people's lives.

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runatsu Ryokka Katakuchi is available to purchase at Kurasu Ebisugawa. Do visit us to have a look!