When the founder of the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, Senso Soshitsu (1622 -1697) was invited to Kanazawa as the lord of the tea ceremony for the powerful Kaga lords in 1666, the first Chozaemon came with him and established Ohi-yaki ware in Kanazawa. Chozaemon had been the chief apprentice for the Raku family in Kyoto and took with him many of the principles and ideas associated with Raku-ware. Since those auspicious beginnings, Ohi-ware has held a high place in the world of tea ceremony desp...

An organic cup with sculpted sides covered in crackled pale glaze with random windows of raw and blackened clay by Ishii Takahiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 10.5 cm (just over 4 inches) tall and in excellent condition. His original forms and unique powerful glaze application strike a chord between nature, tradition and contemporary.
Ishii Takahiro was born in Gunma prefecture in 1977 took up an apprenticeship under the revolutionary Bizen artist Kakurezaki Ryuichi ...

Imagine the vista of iconic Mount Fuji as you enjoy a cup of matcha from this very special tea bowl. Endorsed by the tea master of Urasenke as a master work, it was granted the poetic name “Yamazato,” yama, meaning “mountain” and zato/sato, meaning “small village.” This name carries with it the connotation of an idilic place; therefore, an apt description in English might be ‘an idilic mountain village, untouched by time and unconcerned with modernity.’

The craftsman...

Exquisite kiln effects mark this Ujoyaki Tsubo by Imai Rikei from Aomori Prefecture enclosed in the original signed wooden box named Zuiha (Swirling wave). It is 33 cm tall, 29 cm diameter and in excellent condition. Imai Rikei was born in Aomori Prefecture in 1947, and fires in the Ujoykai traditional manner making use of the worlds longest climbing kiln (guiness book of world records, 103 meters long, you can see it on youtube). He has received a number of awards and exhibited with the Asah...

As mentioned before, what I love about the work of Teramoto Mamoru is it is so vivacious and full of life, full of movement. This vase has all that life and movement on a perfect, elegant form. Here also is another dimension, with the pebble textured surface breaking up the reflection of light granting a tactile quality to the silver. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ginasi Hachi (Silver Glazed Bowl) complete with Shiroi and shifuku. The designs of various colors ar...

The artist who produced this piece, Wataru Motomura, prides himself in living a traditional life in the eastern hills of Kyoto—long known for its rich clay and idyllic pastoral lands. Though the form of this vessel appears innovative and modern, the techniques and materials used to produce it have been around for many hundreds of years. Taking inspiration from the varied pottery traditions of his native Hyogo, Motomura is also known to use clay and methods from the Shigaraki region and many of...

A sumptuous wood grain bowl by Tanaka Eiko covered outside in red and black lacquer, the lacquer thin enough to allow highlights of the tiger-striped grain to show through. Her tree of choice is the Horse Chestnut (Jap. Tocchi), which has unparalleled grain patterns. A perfectly fitted black lacquered lid with elegant finial covers the bowl. It is 10 cm (4 inches) diameter, signed on the base and comes in her red paper box with shiori card.
Tanaka Eiko was born in Aichi Prefecture in 19...

A sumptuous wood grain bowl by Tanaka Eiko covered outside in thin black lacquer, the inside clear to best present the exquisite grains of the wood. Her tree of choice is the Horse Chestnut (Jap. Tocchi), which has unparalleled grain patterns, here visible through the black outside as a soft glow about the center of the bowl. Inside black lines like an abstract ink painting decorating the straight grains. She brings the rim up to an extremely thin edge, abrupt, both delicate and challenging. ...

A bottle decorated with biblical passages by Araki Takako fired at the kiln of Uchida Koichi enclosed in the original wooden box signed by KOichi. It is the introduction of Mary from the book of Luke. The slender bottle itself is very much in the style and color of Koichi, and one might venture to say he had a hand in its making. The biblical passage is the obvious work of Takako, and on bottom is engraved her signature. The vase is 23 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Ar...

Japanese limited-edition copperplate etching and aquatint by Tanaka Ryohei (1933-2019) titled “The Great Ginkgo Tree." Pencil-signed, dated ’04, and numbered 18/100 in the lower margin. Paper size: 19 1/2” x 13” (image: 15 1/2” x 9 1/4”). Never framed. Excellent original condition.

A pair of cups in silver and blue with gold by rising star Ichikawa Toru enclosed in the original signed wood box complete with Shifuku and Shiori. Each is roughly 9.5 cm (4 inches) diameter, 8 cm (3-1/4 inches) tall and both are in new condition. There is quite a contrast, fascinating to hold and view. The silver is quite dry and heavily textured, reminiscent of Same-hada (Sharkskin) or Jakatsu (Scorpion and Snake) wares. However, the celadon is smooth and shiny, in a deep, absorbent color...

Contemporary Japanese limited edition etching titled “March” by Ryoko Hirone depicting a woman seated before a glass window drinking a cup of tea and staring at the city scene outside. Birds fly past, a calendar for March hangs on the wall, and her dog is beside her. Pencil-signed, titled, and numbered 10/30 in the lower margin. Paper size 28 1/2" x 21 1/2" (plate: 23 1/4" x 19 1/4"). Very good overall condition. There is some wrinkling of the heavy paper at the large margin corners. An e...

Contemporary Japanese limited edition etching titled “Jalousie” by Ryoko Hirone depicting a nearly empty seat on a bus with cropped figures at the side of the frame and an abandoned umbrella. A crowded street is visible through the window next to a British Airways advertisement. Pencil-signed, titled, and numbered 10/30 in the lower margin. The original purchase price of $175 is at the bottom margin corner. Paper size 25 1/2" x 18 3/8" (plate: 19" x 15 1/4"). Very good overall condition. ...

A fabulous porcelain sake set by Minami Ayako from her legendary Yukifusuma (Blanket of Snow) series featuring a brilliant flower peering out from a drift of white, each enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Here both a sake cup and Kataguchi pouring vessel, the cup is 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) diameter. The Kataguchi is 15 x 11 x 9.5 cm (6 inches long) and both are in new condition.
Minami Ayako was born the daughter of Kutani artist Minami Shigmasa in Ishikawa prefecture, 1984. Whil...

A set of five long narrow plates by Minami Ayako enclosed in the original signed wooden box upon which is written the titles of each dish. Each dish is uniquely decorated, with Rimpa style waves, flowers in snow, a golden sun peering from behind clouds, the moon rising through the mist, or just swirling colorful clouds. A beautiful set perfect for tapas or small hors d’ oeuvres (or perhaps eel for the daring crowd). Each plate is 6 x 34.5 cm (2-1/2 x 13-1/2 inches) and all are in new condit...

A masterpiece by one of Japan's leading wood-fired earthenware pottery masters, Takuma Murakoshi. Rough, earthy and marvelous glaze produced as only natural wood-fired kilns and shigaraki clays can create. 10" wide and *" tall. Ask for shipping quote.

Mint Oni-Hagi masterpiece chawan with notched foot by star potter Seigan Yamane. This extraordinary tea bowl is covered by wonderful different shades of white glaze and a few shades of purple on brown pottery. In my opinion it is the one of the most aesthetic chawans that he made. The seal of the artist is stamped on the bottom.

Seigan Yamane was born in 1952, and started making Hagi ware in 1987. And then, he started his own pottery in 1992 and has ever been awarded a lot of prizes...

Nagakura Kenichi's artwork is imbued with a primal energy and balance executed with a keen understanding of composition. Each piece combines classic Japanese bamboo basketry techniques with a contemporary artist's sensibility. He steps outside traditional limitations of form, function and material, challenging our concept of customary bamboo. The transition from container to sculpture is further explored in this piece, with expressive curves and a lack of any definable shape. This earth encrus...