A highly original work by Iga potter Nakata Atsushi. The description on the box reads “Mentori Chawan” in this case “men” meaning side, or edge, and “tori” meaning to shear off, or to remove. The name describes how various surfaces of the tea bowl have been shaved off at angles to create this compelling form...

Wood fired Mino-ware with a deep and expressive iron glaze, this tea bowl is a delight to hold in the hand.

A native of Aichi Prefecture, the potter Kajiura Soshyu was born in 1916 and studied under Hayashi Sekko and Kimura Giichi. A multitalented artist, he is also rumored to have worked in painting and calligraphy...

Over 400 years ago the first Takatori potter known as “Hachizan” was brought to Japan by the powerful Kuroda clan and was tasked with establishing a kiln in the town of Fukuoka...

A truly unique work of Shino pottery developed among the company of some of Japan’s most respected and influential potters of the last century. Defying conventions of form and genre, this exceptional mizusashi looks like it could have emerged from the ground fully formed, the result of geological processes lasting millennia. The creator of this fine work is none other than Tsuboshima Dohei, a true master of the ceramic arts...

Traditional Japanese art tends to be timeless and inspiring in form, however, occasionally lacking in diversity and innovation. That is why artists who can incorporate centuries of experiential knowledge and technique into producing new and interesting forms are oh so valued...

A harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary artistic expression, this extraordinary tea bowl encapsulates the essence of Oribe pottery while infusing it with a fresh and modern interpretation. The surface of the tea bowl (chawan) is adorned with a striking interplay of colors and textures. Vibrant and richly glazed, it displays a fusion of deep emerald greens, ferrous sumi blacks, and pearlescent whites...

Intricately carved clay adorned with a complex and multi-layer Oribe glaze, this piece is one of the best I have encountered by this talented and multifaceted artist. Though Oribe dates back to the 15th century, Tsukamoto has managed to keep it fresh and engaging for his many fans.

A native of the city of Toki in Gifu Prefecture, from 1977 he studied under Harukiyo Nonaka and was trained in the techniques of Shino ware...

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 playful, the techniques and materials used to produce it have been around for many hundreds of years...

This lovely Shino tea bowl fashioned from coarse Mino clay and covered in a crackled feldspar glazing shows nice age and comes with what appears to be its original box.

Shino-ware dates to the Momoyama period when potters were attempting to recreate white porcelain-wares that were being imported from China at the time. Originally they were made in a single-chamber anagama style kilns set into the hillsides...

The Muromachi period in Japan, known for its artistic and cultural flourishing, produced exceptional pottery and ceramics, including this exquisite e-Shino incense burner. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this piece exemplifies the refined aesthetics of the time. Its elegant form, featuring gentle curves and a graceful silhouette, reflects the harmony between nature and art...

Going back over 1,300 years, Seto-ware has the distinction of being Japan’s oldest pottery tradition still active today. Made from the rich clay and silica of the region of production, Seto porcelain in particular has been highly prized throughout the history of Japan. The piece shown here can be described as Seto-guro (Black Seto) and is an excellent example of this type of pottery. The writing on the box describes it as being from Muromachi, so well over 400 years old...

With a design reminiscent of mineral deposits on Martian rock, this bold and visually captivating tea bowl is the creation of one of Japan's more controversial and revolutionary-minded potters. 

Nakamura Kimpei (b. 1935) was born in Kanazawa but later—after a period of residency abroad— made his way to Tokyo where he established a kiln...

Located at the foot of an active volcano, the Ougaku kiln specializes in a type of pottery know as Sakurajima-yaki. The kiln is headed by Hashino Midori and run entirely by female potters who strive to infuse each piece they produce with the “energy” of the surrounding environment. Pieces such as the one featured here are made from volcanic ash and mineral-rich onsen spring water giving them a unique luster that is difficult to reproduce...

This chawan was made by the 8th generation Ohi Chozaemon (1851-1927) based in Kanazawa and is done in a style known as “ameyu” or candy glazing. The glazing is a wonderful example of ameyu and, in fact, approximates the color of a caramel candied-apple. The interesting color scheme and glossy sheen make it an attractive backdrop for a frothy bowl of dark green matcha...

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...

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...

We have a particular interest in beautiful old Raku tea bowls and spend quite a bit of time searching for exceptional examples to include in our gallery. Here we see a beautiful work that appears to be at least 100-200 years old which would place its era of production in late Edo or Meiji. We had our master kintusgi craftsman add a skillfully applied repair to the side giving it some added character; a truly one-of-a-kind treasure.

A tradition dating from the mid-16th ce...

Meticulously crafted from carefully woven strips of bamboo, this traditional “chabako” would typically contain all of the basic utensils for conducting tea ceremony. As the same name is commonly used to describe wood boxes used to store and transport tea leaves, the piece below could also be described as a “chakago” to avoid confusion—though the former descriptor is much more commonly used. In practice, the box would contain a tea bowl, kensui, chashaku, chasen, chaire and several othe...