I moved to Germany in 2017 and, shortly after settling in, I accidentally broke one of my favorite ceramic pieces. During a trip back to Japan, I contacted my ex-colleague and learned the basics of kintsugi. I was captivated not only by the idea of repairing and reusing objects but also by the way they are reborn.
To deepen my skills, I took a course at the Hakata Urushi Art Research Institute in Japan and obtained the Specialist certification in July 2023. I am currently working toward the Professional certification. In November 2024, I opened Atelier Kioku as my workspace in Stuttgart, Germany. Here, I continue to explore kintsugi, breathing new life into ceramics and glass and giving them renewed strength and perspective.

Sayaka Koike