Tomohiro Matsumoto was born in Shigaraki (located right east of Kyoto) in 1968. Matsumoto is the fifth-generation potter as his ancestor started his kiln in the 19th century. He now creates Akae ware and Shigaraki ware (unglazed ceramics) in Shigaraki city. He completed Shigaraki Ceramic School in 1987 and Kyoto Industrial and Ceramic School in 1989. When he was in Kyoto, he intensively learned the 17th century ceramics of Kyoto which was decorated by pigments of various colors. In 1993, he became independent and started his kiln in Shigaraki, a city that has a pottery producing history of more than one thousand years. He has solo and group exhibitions regularly at major art galleries in Japan.