Anzai Arata and Atsuko are a husband-and-wife ceramic artist duo. Working with open-fire (noyaki) techniques, they interpret traditional motifs such as guardian dogs (komainu) and lion-dogs (karajishi) through their own distinctive sensibility. Drawing inspiration from the historical lineage that connects ancient Near Eastern lion sculptures to Japanese shrine carvings, they pursue a sculptural world that can be seen as a meeting point of Eastern and Western cultures. They also create everyday vessels such as the "Kōmōde Tsutsuyunomi," and hold solo exhibitions at galleries in Kamakura and elsewhere.