Gotoh: Difference between revisions

[[Image:KEI´ICHI GOTOH.jpg|left|thumb]]

[[Image:KEI´ICHI GOTOH Pipe01.jpg|right|thumb]]

The kit was one that [[Tsuge]] has sold in Japan for some decades now: it contained a pre-drilled block of briar with a pre-molded stem, various sand papers and files and a few different stains. So, at twenty, this friend and this kit set Gotoh-san down a path that would define the rest of his life and Tsuge would go on to play an even greater role in the development of this pipe carver.  

Gotoh continued to make pipes as an amateur for five years, while pursuing other interests. In 1981, he went to work for Tsuge, making the '''Ikebana''' line of pipes along with Fukuda-san, who makes all of the Ikebana pipes today. His skills became more and more refined. The exacting engineering standards of Tsuge had a great impact upon the young carver, who immediately recognized the importance of even the smallest engineering detail. He worked at Tsuge for two years making Ikebanas. Incidentally, [[Smio Satou]] was at Tsuge at the same time, though he did not work on the Ikebanas at that time. From 1983 to 1987, he worked as a subcontractor for Tsuge, making the Ikebana series pipes from his own workshop. Some of these pipes, in recognition of Gotoh’s extraordinary talents, were stamped both with the standard Tsuge Ikebana stamps and with ‘K. Gotoh’. During this period, because of Tsuge’s focus on replicating the high grade Danish style, Gotoh became imbued with that aesthetic vision. It became the foundation from which he would build, reinterpret and create the most interesting forms.

While the design and mockup work paid the bills, as the decade wore on Gotoh longed to return full time to his first passion: making pipes. Gotoh was rightfully cautious as he began this transition back to pipe making in 2003 and 2004. With a wife and children, the financial concerns necessarily have had to supercede his desire to throw himself headlong into his pipe making again. It was during his return to the pipe making profession that Gotoh sought out fellow pipe maker [[Hiroyuki Tokutomi]].

Gotoh clearly has a great admiration for Tokutomi. Regarding Tokutomi and his relationship, he once remarked: “he taught me everything.” This is high praise indeed, considering the immense artistry of Gotoh. This statement is a testament both to Tokutomi’s brilliance and Gotoh’s modesty.