Marushiseito is a time-honored company, which was established in 1877 and has a history of around 150 years. Imai is the 6^th Representative Director. The core products used to be braziers, but his father serving as the 4^th Representative Director started producing umbrella stands, garden tables, etc., expanding their product lineup and laying the foundation for the current business. For Imai, who has been following in his father’s footsteps, world expositions, which involved his father’s generation, are special events.

　The relation between Shigaraki and world expositions is deep. “The Black Sun” on the back side of “the Tower of the Sun,” which was designed by Mr. Taro Okamoto as the symbol of the Expo ’70, is composed of tiles of Shigaraki ware. At the Expo ’90, the fountain decorated with the ceramic flowers of Shigaraki ware named “Tower of Flowers (Ceramic Fantasy)” attracted attention. Every time a world exposition was held, Shigaraki increased its popularity by seizing the opportunity based on the cooperation among local communities.

　In the venue of the Expo 2025, they plan to provide a table and four stools made of clay developed by blending recycled materials. They are thinking of decorating them in the motif of living organisms in Lake Biwa. As a new endeavor of Shigaraki, they adopted the cutting-edge digital technology. They will decorate the stools, etc. with resin patterns produced from the illustrations of indigenous fish species in Lake Biwa, such as Biwa trout and Honmoroko (Gnathopogon caerulescens), by utilizing a 3D printer. They are made of resin, which increases workability, and they can be placed on even a curved surface.

　They also exert their ingenuity for concocting glaze. They pay homage to the rich blessings of Lake Biwa based on the characteristic reddish brown color of Shigaraki ware called “the fire color” while using the bluish color, which reminds us of the lake, and the greenish color, which depicts forests.

　The experience-based event is aimed at leading the visitors who have seen the good features of Shigaraki ware at the Expo to the place of Shigaraki, so that they will be able to enjoy crafting accessories, etc. “Meizantogyo,” which excels at producing ceramic dolls, plateware, and vases, will make preparations. The 9^th Representative Director Shinya Ishino said, “I hope that visitors freely craft a work with the earth used for table stools to be provided and the decorative pattern of fish in Lake Biwa produced by using the digital technology, and that the experience at the Expo 2025 will become a good memory of Shigaraki ware.” There is an atmosphere unique to Shigaraki, which has created new value with innovation without sticking to tradition. Visitors are expected to feel that atmosphere. The Expo will offer the best opportunity.

　Recycled clay turned out to be so elastic and plastic that it is satisfactory. Imai, who is confident about shaping, said, “After a pottery workpiece is put into a kiln, we leave it to flames and cannot predict how it will be finished. It is a difficult yet attractive point. I’d like to enjoy it.” 　At the Expo, they will search for what “the future Shiragaki” will be. They will leave the “earth and flames” inherited from forerunners and protected to the next generation, in order to preserve the pottery culture. The adamant aspirations of producers will draw a future.