Catalog (431)

The creator of this extraordinary work, Shibuya Deishi, is best known for his works of “Oni-hagi”—typically made with rough clay and heavy dripping glazes. This piece by contrast seems delicately crafted and has a very soft and warm quality to it. The outside is covered with overlapping molded flower petals done in an almond glaze with ivory accents at the tips of each petal.

Winner of many local and international awards (including the 18th Modern Applied Fine Arts Exhibition...

A work of perfection by one of Japan’s most admired ceramic artists. This piece by Nakajima Hiroshi demonstrates his mastery of the art of celadon pottery.

Born in 1941 in Hiroshima prefecture, at the age of 28 he established his own kiln and became an independent potter. 1n 1977 he received honorable mention in the Japan Tradional Applied Fine Arts Exhibition. In 1983 he received the Prime Minister’s Award at the first annual Western Japan Ceramic Fair and later in 1983 he was ...

A relatively new term, “Oni Tamba” is used to describe works of Tamba-ware fired using carbon trap and ash glazing techniques modeled after those pioneered by Tsukigata Nahiko in the 1950’s. This piece in particular displays a bold and innovative ceramic landscape that seems quite impressive for such a young artist as Onishi. One side of the bowl resembles charred igneous rock while the front shows a warm soft orangish glow—like an ember in a fireplace. An unglazed patch on the front of ...

The light-grey glazed interior of this piece makes an inviting backdrop for a smooth cup of saké. The exterior by contrast is matte with a slightly coarse texture making it easy to hold in the hand. Overall it has a decidedly modern feel to it however the techniques used to produce this attractive guinomi go back many generations.

Born in Akita prefecture in 1950, Akira Miyazawa began studying pottery at the age of 24 under the guidance of Susukida Kouji, a master potter heavily i...

Labeled as yu-Shino on the box or “evening†Shino, this recent composition by Ryouji Hayashi III displays wonderful textures and hues resembling the blazing sky at sunset. The front of the bowl is decorated with radiating fissures— boldly contrasting with the background while the kodai or foot of the bowl is unglazed showing the light-colored clay beneath.

Ryouji Hayashi (1940 - ) is the third generation potter of the Shozan kiln in Mino. This line of potters has de...

Most noted for his works of Shino, this attractive Oribe piece by Kato Takeshi is distinctive and eye-catching.

Born the son of a potter in 1947, Takeshi studied under Kobayashi Bunichi, Ohashi Momonosuke and later in Kyoto under Uchida Kunio, opening his own kiln in 1973 (Genkuro-gama). Since then he has shied from the realm of public competition in favor of the personal world of private exhibitions, including the Shinjuku Odakyu and Isetan galleries among many others.

...

An ancient technique known as “haito” in Japanese was used to give this piece its distinctive look. Thought to have originated in neolithic times and commonly used during the T’ang and Song dynasties in China, an excess of fuel is added at the very end of firing which causes a thick layer of grey ash to adhere to the outside of the vessel. Below the ash glaze of this piece is a yellow amber reflective coating that shows through in areas giving it an almost imperceptible glittering effect ...

The Mino region of Japan has been renowned for centuries for producing high-quality Shino, Oribe, Seto-guro, along with the style shown here, ki-Seto, or “yellow” Seto. The creator, Hori Ichiro, is one of the most acclaimed among Mino potters, tirelessly producing splendid works while continuing to use traditional methods passed down from other great potters before him. The lush yellow glaze seen here is applied thickly, pooling beautifully around the unglazed foot of the bowl—proudly high...

Though this piece appears quite old and nicely worn by time, it is in fact a very recent work from Sekizanjin kiln. Using a special organic process to “ferment” powdered ore used in the clay, they then fire the hand molded pieces under extreme heat to produce bowls they call “Chibori.” The Chibori bowl featured here is inspired by works of Chojiro—forbearer of the Raku line of potters and collaborator with legendary tea master Sen no Rikyu.

The master potter of Sekizanjin...

A unique and distinctive tea bowl constructed of half porcelain and half stoneware—the swirling blue spirals and accents serve to captivate the eye and the imagination, making this artist’s works instantly recognizable.

A native of Kyoto, Hashimoto Machiko runs a small studio and kiln where she creates a wide range of ceramic works—including functional pieces such as the chawan featured here—as well as a number of purely decorative and experimental pieces which most would ag...

This remarkable tea bowl is from the kilns of Yoshida Shuen (1940-1987)—an apprentice of Miwa Kyusetsu (1910-2012) who was awarded the status of Living National Treasure in 1983. It features a warm crackled glazing with a white translucent overcoat that beads in areas.

Hagi-yaki has a tradition stretching back over 400 years and is a high-fired stoneware type of pottery. Hagi-ware is prized for its subdued colors and classical features, especially the glazing, which is often clea...

Fired in an anagama small-batch kiln, this other-worldly looking saké cup (guinomi) displays rich ochre hues in areas where the rough clay shows through and is covered in a lush Oribe green glaze which is difficult to achieve. The brilliant green color is the result of copper glaze applied to the clay body which is then fired at 1220 degrees C—creating an oxidation reaction. More difficult to produce than works with black Oribe glaze, if the exact conditions are not met, the piece may uninten...

Well proportioned and exceptionally light in the hand, this lovely tea bowl features a stylized depiction of a horse in stride in what appears to be a brown ferrous glaze on a background of ash glaze (灰油 hai-yu). A creation of Kyoto potter Kimura Moriyasu, this is a difficult style to perform, with results dependent on how the clay and glazes interact when exposed to the specific firing condition in the kiln.

The youngest of three brothers famed for their potting skill...

This remarkable tea bowl is from the kilns of Yoshida Shuen (1940-1987)—an apprentice of Miwa Kyusetsu (1910-2012) who was awarded the status of Living National Treasure in 1983. It features a warm milky beige glaze with light umber accents and shows a bit of exposed clay on the kodai (foot) where the artists seal is located.

Hagi-yaki has a tradition stretching back over 400 years and is a high-fired stoneware type of pottery. Hagi-ware is prized for its subdued colors and class...

Reminiscent of lines of dripping wax from a candle, the colored ripples streaming down the sides of this tea bowl give the impression of fluidity and transformation. More colorful and dynamic than the standard monochrome ame-yu chawan, the kodai (foot) of this piece is well-shaped and the rise and fall of the lip reminds us of the subtle variations in tone, form, light, and substance that we encounter in our daily lives.

When the founder of the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, Sen-So...

Graceful, sensitive, and with a distinctively feminine aura—this subtle work of ceramic art has an air of quiet days spent in the garden or of spending an afternoon brightening up an interior space. Using a technique known as 灰釉 (kai-yu) Terai uses the natural ash of various hardwoods to achieve a subtle textured matte glow which is unique to each piece.

Yoko Terai (b. 1972) graduated from the Kyoto University of Art and later studied under Nobuo Nojima who—upon recognizing...

Using local materials and traditional methods, the creator of this work Masahiko Imanishi, has brought a distinctively modern interpretation to the classical form of the tsutsu chawan. At the same time, he somehow manages to maintain the simple rusticity that Tanba-ware is renowned for. Stretching back over 800 years, Tanba is counted as one of Japan’s 6 ancient kiln sites and is known for making large pots with red ferrous clay and natural ash glazes with a distinctive greenish tinge. More re...

Reminiscent of the wildly popular avant-garde works of Suzuki Goro, this striking modern interpretation of the classic tokkuri (sake flask) was done by budding artist Ikeda Shogo.

Born in 1976 in the southern port city of Kagoshima on the island of Kyushu, from a young age Ikeda would have been exposed to a great variety of ceramic-wares from the numerous historical kilns native to the region including Satsuma, Arita, Imari, and Karatsu. Equally influential were ceramics from neighb...

Looking something akin to dragon skin with gilded beads glistening between the scales, this recent creation by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a tea bowl. Described as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiraled mollusk who’s shells are often ...

Decidedly modern, Japanese, and minimalist; the textures, colors, and form of this fascinating tea bowl all suggest inspiration from natural objects. The grey, smooth, polished interior of the tea bowl contrasts nicely with the textured ferrous dark ochre ash glaze on the exterior. Somewhere between an ido and wan-nari shape, it rests surprisingly well in the hand and allows the user to contemplate the mysteries of nature through their tactile and visual senses.

Widely exhibited bot...

One of the finest, most daring, and well-crafted works I have seen by this legendary artist who is known for his non-conformist and bold style. Suzuki Goro has outdone himself with this Rose Oribe ceremonial tea bowl. Oribe is a visual style named after the late-16th-century tea master Furuta Oribe (1544-1615). The most common types in this genre are Oribe-guro with jet-black glazes and feldspar ornamentation, Ao-Oribe with dark-green glazes, followed by the somewhat rarer type of Oribe known as...

Appearing to capture an ocean inside a tea bowl, this particular work has been given the very fitting poetic name “Nami” or wave. Masterfully crafted by veteran potter Hideo Torazawa, the inside is painted with a special glaze known as heki-yu—prized for its pure aquamarine character with accents of sapphire and azure depending on the light.

Born in Gifu prefecture in 1935, Hideo Torazawa has enjoyed a long and productive career as a potter and has mastered a number of diffic...

This depiction of the eternal “ensō” on a backdrop of pearly white feldspar signifies enlightenment, the eternal, the nothingness, and the freedom of the mind to envision and to create. Wood-fired in a small-batch ana-gama, the techniques used to produce such works stretch back over 500 years and were only recently revived in the first half of the previous century by a dedicated group of artists.

The potter who created this piece (Kato Kozo) was born in 1935 in Gifu prefecture ...

Ripples of light and dark pigmentation flowing on a background of sky-blue glaze—the description on the box reads 萩孔雀 (Hagi kujyaku) translating as “peacock Hagi” in English. With a distinctive wari-kodai (segmented foot) and unique glaze emulating the vibrant plumage of the notoriously flamboyant bird, this piece leaves a lasting impression.

Born in the illustrious potting town of Hagi, Yamane began his potter’s journey at the age of 35. Unlike many ceramicists who b...

One of the more innovative and international minded ceramicists on the Japanese pottery scene, Ryoji Koie’s interests and expertise cannot be confined to one narrow genre—as he often integrates non-traditional methods and materials. Born in the town of Tokonmae in 1938, from a young age he studied potting—a staple of the local economy—and later went on to do independent research, open his own kiln, travel widely participating in international conferences and workshops, and finally to bec...

Looking something akin to dragon skin with gilded beads glistening between the scales, this recent creation by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a guinomi (Saké cup). Described as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiraled mollusk who’s shells...

Looking something akin to dragon skin with gilded beads glistening between the scales, this recent creation by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a guinomi (Saké cup). Described as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiraled mollusk who’s shells...

This piece is described on the box as a Hikidashi Kuro Chawan. In Japanese hikidashi means “a pull-out drawer” and the term first came into use at Mino kilns in the 16th century to describe individual pieces that were pulled out of the wood kiln at the peak of firing to gauge if the batch was ready. The rapid cooling of such pieces often creates dramatic effects, with the most noted being rich varieties of deep black. Today this practice has fallen out of use and and only a handful of master...

Made from ferrous rich Bizen clay covered in an ashen feldspar glaze, this non-conventional Shino tea bowl is a variety known as “Beni” or crimson red. Distinctively modern yet emanating a primal vitality, the form harkens back to the very origins of ceramic exploration in Japan. The influence of Momoyama potters and greats such as Koetsu can be seen in the dynamic edges of the clay body.

Though female potters have constituted a small minority throughout the history of Japans p...

A traditionally crafted Bizen sake cup shaped in the tradition of Oribe. The rich mineral glaze gives this guinomi an almost a metallic look. The craftsman who made this piece, Takahiro Ishii, was born in Tokyo in 1977, and, after studying ceramics for a number of years, he moved to Bizen to become a ceramics teacher and later opened his own kiln. He takes a philosophic approach to his work as evidenced by the following quote, “As a ceramicist, I feel that the point is not just to produce pie...

Sugimoto Sadamitsu (b. 1935) is one of the most important Shigaraki potters alive today and continues to create master works into his old age. Originally a resident of Tokyo, at the age of 33 he moved to Shigaraki and started creating high-quality tea-ware implements, most notably, fine tea bowls in the style of early Raku masters. A devotee of Zen and a lover of tea, Sugimoto is able to create tea bowls that are not just attractive, pleasant to hold in the hand, and a joy to drink from; but tha...

Reminiscent of a hollowed out lotus seed pod, this recent creation by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a tea bowl. Described on the box as a “ammonite/ gindani/ chawan” (ammonite/ silver glaze/ tea bowl), Hiramatsu says his inspiration for this piece (and several others) came from an ancient form of sea life known as an ammonite—a large spiraled mollusk who’s shells are often found fossilized toda...

This experimental work by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a tea bowl. Described on the box as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece, and a number of others came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiraled mollusk who’s shells are often found fossilized today. The inside of the bowl is ...

Sugimoto Sadamitsu (b. 1935) is one of the most important Shigaraki potters alive today and continues to create master works into his old age. Originally a resident of Tokyo, at the age of 33 he moved to Shigaraki and started creating high-quality tea-ware implements, most notably, fine tea bowls in the style of early Raku masters. A devotee of Zen and a lover of tea, Sugimoto is able to create tea bowls that are not just attractive, pleasant to hold in the hand, and a joy to drink from; but tha...

Looking something akin to dragon skin with gilded beads glistening between the scales, this recent creation by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a guinomi (Saké cup). Described as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece (and a number of others) came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiral...

Looking something akin to dragon skin with gilded beads glistening between the scales, this recent creation by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a guinomi (Saké cup). Described as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece (and a number of others) came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiral...