In 1983 Leila Philip made her way to southernmost Japan in search of a potter who would take on a foreign apprentice. In Miyama—a village settled almost four centuries ago by seventy Korean potters—she was accepted as an apprentice into the workshop and home of master potter Kazu Nagayoshi and his wife, Reiko. As she tells us of her progress in the pottery workshop, Philip gives us an insightful guide to an exacting craft, a deeply personal portrait of the village, and a beautifully perceptive look at the cultural roots of modern Japan. With good humor and vivid detail, she tells of days spent planting and harvesting rice in the paddies. And with grace and respect, she introduces us to the people of Miyama—to the feisty old farming women, to the artisans from neighboring studios, and, most especially, to Nagayoshi and Reiko.