The son of a Buddhist priest Yamada Hikaru was born on December 23, 1923 in Asagaya, Suginami-cho, Toyotama-gun, Tokyo, but to avoid the confusion of the Great Kanto Earthquake, he moved to his mother's home in Oe-cho, Gifu-shi, Gifu. After returning home, he was notified that he was born there on January 7, the following year. 1945 (Showa 20) Graduated from the Ceramics Department of Kyoto Institute of Technology (currently Kyoto Institute of Technology). At first, He worked on copying Chinese ancient ceramics, but eventually started to try to create objects (three-dimensional modeling) that applied traditional pottery techniques. In 1946 participated in the formation of "Youth Ceramics Group". In 1948 the "Youth Ceramics Group" was dissolved, and in July of the same year, he formed the avant-garde potters group Sodeisha (Crawling through Mud Association) with Tetsuo Kano, Osamu Suzuki , Misuke Matsui, and Kazuo Yagi. Like Yagi, Yamada initially worked on functional vessels. By the 1950s, his vessels had extremely narrow non-functional openings, and soon after he closed them entirely. Using a multiplicity of glazes and shapes, Yamada focused on perforated flat forms allowing the viewer to see through the work, creating a “borrowed landscape.” It paved the way for a new modeling that has no use as an object. In addition, he has participated in many overseas exhibitions such as the Prague International Ceramics Exhibition (1987) and the Faenza International Ceramics Exhibition (1972).
On the other hand, he has also released many practical craft works, in 1987, he established "Kado Kobo" at his home workshop with Yagi. In September 1979, he became a professor at Osaka University of Arts (until ~1994). In 1995 he was honoured with the title "Kyoto City Person of Cultural Merit" and later became the honorary member of Japan Craft Design Association. Hikaru Yamada passed away in 2001 (77 years old).
Some milestones of the life of the potter:
- 1924 Born in Gifu City
- 1945 Graduated from the Ceramics Department of Kyoto High School of Crafts
- 1946 Selected for the 1st Nitten Exhibition
- 1948 Formed the avant-garde potter group Sodeisha (走泥社) with Osamu Suzuki and Kazuo Yagi
- 1948 Selected for the 2nd Exhibition held in Tokyo
- 1948 Selected for Nitten Exhibition
- 1952 Exhibited at the 1st Asahi Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition
- 1959 Exhibited at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art
- 1961 Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
- 1962 The 3rd International Ceramics held in Prague, Czech Republic
- 1962 Exhibited at the art exhibition
- 1963 Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
- 1962 Exhibited at the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Japan
- 1964 Exhibited at the 1st International Ceramics Exhibition sponsored by Asahi Shimbun
- 1968 Exhibited at the New Generation Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics at the Museum of Modern Art
- 1979 Became a professor at Osaka University of the Arts
- 1995 Received the Gold Award of the Japan Ceramic Society, as a person who has made cultural achievements in Kyoto City
- 1998 Received the Kyoto Art Culture Award
- 1999 2000 "Ceramic Mark-Yamada Hikaru" Exhibition (Itami City Museum of Art, Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art, Meguro Museum of Art)
- 2016 "Gift Memorial Yamada Hikaru Exhibition-With Run Mudsha" Gifu Prefectural Museum of Contemporary Art
