Around two to five million years ago, the Mino region lay at the bottom of the expansive Tokai Lake. As the surrounding landscape was weathered away, particles of granite and other materials flowed into the lake and settled in the clay. Over a long period of time, the clay layer formed at the bottom of the lake, accumulating in depth and gradually maturing. As the land rose, the rich, diverse soil (clay) came to the surface and along with the natural environment, blessed with forests and water, laid the foundation for Mino’s manufacturing culture. In this region, clays are meticulously mixed based on an understanding of the optimal clay for a given application. Drawing out the potential of materials with ingenuity, the Mino region has built one of the world’s leading ceramic cultures, dating back some 1300 years.
The Mino Soil project begins with the material clay, unearthed in the quarries of Mino. For this first chapter, we held the exhibition Vol.01 “Archaeology of Mino” in collaboration with Studio Mumbai in Tokyo, June 2021.