Potter/Founder/Guide: Gregory Hamilton Miller

Gregory Hamilton Miller b. 1969

Gregory Hamilton Miller was apprentice to Living National Treasure Shimaoka Tatsuzo in Mashiko, Japan, where he discovered a love for Japanese ceramics. Later, he studied Japanese Culture and Language while working towards a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on craft communities in Japan and Scandinavia.  He is also interested in aesthetics, architecture, and particularly language.

Gregory is the owner of Tolne Gjæstgivergaard in Northern Denmark. Together with Yukie Tonuma of Eco Conscious Japan, he designs special adventures in Japan and Korea for small groups of interested and engaged travelers. Gregory is adept at Japanese, Danish, and English languages and serves as guide and interpreter throughout the trips. He has experience visiting the destinations, guiding groups in many different contexts, and often has support from local experts and assistants during the tours.

Gregory began traveling Japan during his apprenticeship in Mashiko. Later, he had opportunities with support from a National Science Foundation Grant to visit and explore ceramic communities in Western Japan like Shigaraki, Izumo, Hagi, Karatsu. In 1999, he was asked by Warren and Nancy Mackenzie to take them exploring pottery communities in Japan. These and other travels form the basis for the current adventures.

Gregory feels fortunate each time he has an opportunity to travel with a new group of travelers. It’s a chance for him to experience Japan again for the first time. The trips are always different, often visiting places Gregory has been before, as well as including new and original destinations and attractions.

Studio Potter: Apprenticeship with Shimaoka Tatsuzo, Mashiko, Japan.