KUSUBE Yaichi, who was based in Kyoto, contributed to the flourishing of Japanese ceramics in the modern era. Together with other young ceramic artists of the time, Kusube began a movement that looked to elevate ceramics to an art form that was not bound by tradition or everyday functionality. Kusube is also recognized for creating his own technique known as saien, which uses colored clay to produce patterns in three-dimensional relief on the body of a pottery piece.