Summer Shuki 2026 – The Artist Line-up Announced
It is with enormous pleasure that we announce the participating artists for Summer Shuki 2026, the fifth edition of what has become one of the defining annual events in The Stratford Gallery calendar.
Conceived as a celebration of Japan's extraordinary culture of shuki—the ceramic vessels used to serve and enjoy nihonshu (sake)—Summer Shuki has grown year by year into what we believe is the largest annual exhibition of contemporary Japanese sake wares presented anywhere outside Japan.
This year's exhibition brings together seventeen exceptional ceramic artists from some of Japan's most celebrated pottery regions, including Iga, Shigaraki, Hagi, Mino and Kutani. Together they represent three generations of makers, from revered senior masters whose careers span decades to some of the most exciting younger artists shaping the future of contemporary Japanese ceramics.
The 2026 Line-up
We are particularly pleased to welcome Kazuya Furutani, Aiko Watanabe, Akio Momota, Yukika Shibata, Kazuko Hasu and Shintaro Uchimura, each making their first appearance at The Stratford Gallery. Every one of these artists brings a distinctive perspective to contemporary Japanese ceramics, broadening the conversation around what shuki can be while remaining deeply connected to Japan's rich ceramic heritage.
Returning alongside these debut artists are Manabu Atarashi, Kazuhiro Fukushima, Shinya Fukushima, Yuka Hayashi, Shigemasa Higashida, Yoshitaka Hasu, Asato Ikeda, Hirofumi Suzuki, Yoshinobu Suzuki, Keita Yamato and Kiyoshi Yamato—artists whose work has become closely associated with Summer Shuki over the past five years.
As always, the exhibition encompasses an exceptional breadth of ceramic expression, from powerful wood-fired Iga and Shigaraki works to elegant Hagi, expressive Oribe, refined celadon porcelains, contemporary Kutani painting and beautifully considered interpretations of Japan's iconic sake vessels.
The complete collection will be released online at 7.00pm BST on Friday 17th July, when every work will become available to view and acquire through our website.
The exhibition then opens in the gallery from 11.00am on Saturday 18th July, with visitors invited to enjoy the collection throughout the day. From 3.00pm we will once again be serving sake in celebration of the exhibition and the remarkable ceramic traditions that inspired it.
Summer Shuki has become much more than an exhibition. It has become an annual gathering of artists, collectors and enthusiasts united by a shared appreciation for Japanese ceramics, craftsmanship and hospitality.
Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for the fifth Summer Shuki, we very much look forward to welcoming you to Broadway this July.
