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Page 2 of 2  9. Ryonyu [1756 - 1834]
Born as the second son of Chonyu. As his brother, Tokunyu retired in 1770 at the age of 25, he succeeded as the 9th generation when he was only 14. He assumed the name, Ryonyu, at his retirement in 1825. Ryonyu's 65 years of prolific production of ceramics were dedicated to various stylistic developments according to his age and the particular importance of his achievements lies in the use of trimming to the advantage of modelling made by the hand-forming method. The potter emphasizes the effect of trimming, boldly applied vertically, horizontally and obliquely, added dynamism as well as decorativeness to the form and at the same time was a manifestation of his mentality, a creative stance which transcended his lifetime. It was an innovation newly added to the Raku tradition.
 10. Tannyu [1795 - 1854]
Born as the second son of Ryonyu, he succeeded as the 10th generation in 1811. He took the name of Tannyu at this retirement in 1845. The stylistic influence of his father, Ryonyu, is clearly visible in his work. The trimming effect is technically more elaborated and varied, setting off the details of the tea bowl.
11. Keinyu [1817 - 1902]Born as a son of Ogawa Naohachi, a sake brewer from Tanba, the present Kameoka City in Kyoto, he was taken into the Raku family as Tannyu's son-in-law. He succeeded as the 11th generation in 1845. He retired in 1871, assuming the name of Keinyu. The period he lived through was an age of transformation from the feudalism of the Tokugawa Shogunate to the modernization of Meiji government introducing the modern cultural prospects from the West. At the same time he saw the collapse of traditional culture including the tea culture. Over a 60 year long production of ceramics under such unfavourable circumstances. Keinyu, however, vigorously made a variety of ceramics, not only tea bowls but other tea utensils as well as decorative objects.
 
 12. Konyu [1857 - 1932]
Born as the eldest son of Keinyu, he succeeded as the 12th generation in 1871 at the age of 15. He took the name on Konyu at his retirement in 1919. He was confronted with difficulties together with his father when he succeeded to the house, since the tea cult was still in decline at the dawn of the modernization of the Meiji period. The use of trimming to render variations of form, which has been a common practice since Ryonyu, is equally characteristic of Konyu's work. The decorative effect is even more radically pursued, wherein several Raku seals are impressed in a pattern. Particularly his red Raku glaze, varied intone and shade, is characteristic of Konyu.
 13. Seinyu [1887 - 1944]
Born as the eldest son of Konyu, he succeeded as the 13th generation in 1919. Seinyu's 57 yeas lifetime was certainly not the happiest, with the outbreak of two successive World Wars. He principally followed the traditional style of Raku tea bowls, reflecting his serious personality. He was an enthusiastic researcher on glazes, applying various minerals from different sources in Japan for the experimentation of glazes.
 14. Kakunyu [1918 - 1980]
Born as the eldest son of Seinyu, he graduated from the Sculptural Department at Tokyo School of Art (present Tokyo University of Fine Arts). He succeeded as the 14th generation in 1945 at the end of the Second World War. The basic knowledge of modern art that he gained at Tokyo School of Art helped him to establish a unique style of his own, clearly distinguished from those of the past generation. . His trimming is more precisely applied for the purpose of giving structural power to the composition of tea bowls.
15. Kichizaemon [1949 - ]Born as the eldest son of Kakunyu. After graduated from the Sculptural Department of the Tokyo University of Fine Arts in 1973, he went to Italy for further studies. He succeeded as the 15th generation Kichizaemon in 1981.  
 
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