"Ichino Onose Plant Pot Exhibition" will be held from May 18-21 at the Uehara store!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Uehara will be holding a solo exhibition by ceramist Hajime Onose, titled "Hajime Onose Planter Exhibition," from May 18 (Sat) to May 21 (Tue). Mr. Onose himself will be at the store on the first day!

The first day will be by reservation ticket only. Tickets will go on sale at 10:00 PM on May 11 (Sat) on our dedicated ticket reservation website: https://foodforthoughtshop.net. There will be an admission ticket fee of 110 yen (tax included). (Please see the bottom of the page for the reason for the ticket fee.)

⚠️Only one ticket per person can be purchased. Please note that if you purchase two or more tickets from the same IP address, all tickets will be automatically canceled.

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Hajime Onose is an artist highly regarded in the world of planters, primarily for succulent plants and bonsai. He is a popular artist who has broken numerous records at FFT exhibitions. This will be his second solo exhibition, and the first in two years. While Mr. Onose's works are highly popular nationwide, they are particularly scarce in the Kanto region, making this a very rare opportunity to see a collection of his works in a store.

It goes without saying that Mr. Onose's pots are not only beautiful visually but also have an outstanding level of craftsmanship when held in the hand.

At first glance, they give a strong and wild impression, but as you zoom in, you'll find perfect throwing and trimming, incredibly skilled "shinogi" (fluted carving) (the reason for which will be explained later), the brilliance of the design, and an internal environment that gently cradles plants with meticulously calculated drainage. (Incidentally, shinogi is not just for design. It also serves as a heatsink, ensuring strength even with thin walls and increasing surface area for better heat dissipation!)

From architectural expressions reminiscent of Greek style to Chinoiserie, forms resembling holy grails, and curvaceous, feminine proportions, one is amazed by the artist's vast repertoire, stemming from his love for "old things and ancient ruins."

The saying "beauty is in the details" seems to be made for Mr. Onose's works.

Indeed, Mr. Onose studied under Akio Nuga of Kasama, and his precise shinogi evokes Nuga's style. For us, who deeply respect Nuga-san, this connection was truly delightful.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the practical quality of his pots is also a secret to their popularity. There are many points the artist is particular about. Here are just a few:

・Drainage holes, slits, and three grooves are positioned for optimal drainage.
・The inside of the pot is also carved and left unglazed to ensure breathability.
・The inside is shaped as straight as possible to facilitate easy removal of the root ball.
・Turned to be bottom-heavy to prevent tipping.
・Glaze with reduced glass content does not hinder aeration and retains more water than unglazed pots.

Although this exhibition is not primarily focused on "food," which is our main business, for the various reasons mentioned above, we are confident that our customers who appreciate tableware will enjoy it.

This time too, a wide variety of works, from small to large, will be available. Of course, all are one-of-a-kind. Each has a different expression, and you won't find the same pot twice.

Due to the anticipated crowds, the first day will be by reservation only for the entire day. The usual 30-minute slots will be extended to 60 minutes this time. Although our store is small, please take your time to shop while enjoying conversation about pots with the artist.

Due to the limited number of works, and because the artist himself aims to "deliver to as many customers as possible," we will impose a purchase limit this time as well (the exact number is yet to be determined).

To ensure the best conditions for customers to purchase works at this solo exhibition, payment will be accepted by cash only. We do not have card payment terminals, so we kindly ask you to bring cash.

We anticipate many customers from afar. We can also arrange shipping from the store, so please feel free to inquire.

Our staff look forward to your visit!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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"Hajime Onose Planter Exhibition"
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Uehara Store
〒151-0064
2-33-4 Uehara, Shibuya-ku
03-6416-8294
May 18 (Sat) - May 21 (Tue)
11:00-18:00

The first day will be by reservation ticket only for the entire day. Tickets will go on sale at 10:00 PM on May 11 (Sat) on our dedicated ticket reservation website: https://foodforthoughtshop.net. There will be an admission ticket fee of 110 yen (tax included).

 ⚠️While we are very reluctant to charge 110 yen, when solo exhibitions are held with a "free and open reservation style for anyone," unacceptable activities such as bulk buying using "dark part-time jobs" and resale businesses taking all slots with fake information become rampant. In the past, there have even been arrests at our store.

Furthermore, approximately half of reservations currently result in no-shows. By charging a small fee and using a reservation system linked to card information, we can somewhat prevent these issues.

We appreciate your understanding.