Born in 1975 in Saitama Prefecture in eastern Japan, Etsuji Noguchi moved to Tanegashima, a southern island in Kagoshima, in 1999 after becoming captivated by the region's Yakishime pottery tradition. There he learned the complete cycle of ceramic making, from mining clay to firing in traditional kilns, an experience with natural materials that continues to shape his practice.

In 2006, he apprenticed under master ceramicist Takashi Nakazato in Karatsu. His work has also taken him internationally, working with wood-fired kilns in Italy, Denmark, and the U.S. In 2018, he built a wood kiln for KH Würtz in Denmark, the studio that creates ceramics for Noma and other renowned restaurants. Now Noguchi works primarily with electric kilns in his Kagoshima City studio.

Noguchi's work features surfaces rich with iron-oxide patina and rust-red tones that evoke natural landscapes. Through use, the pieces develop a gentle sheen. He describes his aesthetic as "calm and powerful, primitive and modern," creating vessels that belong to no specific era or place, vessels that quietly enhance what they hold without demanding attention.