Small shrine with the esoteric Buddhist figure of the Fudo Myōō who personifies Dainichi Nyorai. He is standing on a rock pedestal – symbol of his steadfastness - with a rope in his left hand and formerly with a sword in his right hand (broken off and missing). Behind him a flaming red mandorla. The patterns on his garment and his jewelry painted delicately in gold and mineral colors.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.

Height of zushi: ca...

A small Pure Land Buddhist shrine -zushi- containing a figure of the 11-headed Kannon on a lotus, holding a flask in his left hand, standing before a full-size mandorla.
Painted in mineral colors and gold onto the gilded doors are Jizo bosatsu to his right and Kokuzo bosatsu to his left.

Carved wood (probably boxwood), decorated with gold. Jewelry gilded metal (now black).
Red lacquered shrine with fine gilded hardware. Japan, Edo period, 18th century.
Case: ca...

Reddish brown shrine with three very fine sculptures: Benzaiten in the middle, to her right Daikoku, and Bishamon to her left. Benten is seated on a lotus, depicted in her 8-armed appearance, holding a jewel, her other attributes are lost. On her head a crown with jewels and the snake-shaped Ugajin. Bishamonten stands on a demon and holds a pagoda, his staff now lost. Daikoku stands on two rice bales and holds a hammer and a bag. All of them on separate rock shaped bases...

Signed Zohiko lacquer tea caddy. Decoration of Mt Fuji and pine tree in lake landscape on black ground. Pleasant textures, reminiscent of Zeshin, are imparted to the surface of Fuji-san and the pine tree. Zohiko mark inside the foot. Overall good condition with a couple inconspicuous small chips to the lacquer along the rim of the cover. Height, 3 inches (7.62 cm). Diameter 3 5/8 inches (9.21 cm)

A Zohiko covered rice bowl. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko mark in gold lacquer inside the bowl's foot rim. 20th century. Bowl diameter 5 1/16 inches (12.86 cm). The bowl has two small losses to the lacquer along the foot and one small loss to the rim. The cover is in good condition. The lacquer otherwise being in good condition with no distress or wear of note...

A Zohiko covered soup bowl. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko mark in silver lacquer inside the bowl's foot rim. 20th century. Bowl diameter 4 9/16 inches (11.59 cm). Condition is relatively quite good with only a small abrasion to the lacquer on foot rim of the bowl. The lacquer otherwise is in good condition with no distress or wear of note...

A beautiful example of the iconic Zogan inlayed clay work of Takeuchi Shingo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The deep bowl swells in the midriff, closing at the rim to concentrate the aroma, with thin sides to allow the warmth to escape to the hands, a perfect bowl for winter tea. It is slightly elongated, 13 x 12 x 8.5 cm (5 x 4-3/4 x 3-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition...

A playful troupe of elephants parade around the rim of this early bowl by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled Zobachi. The creatures are in relief, raised from the surface, not engraved into it. This was made by pressing the clay slab onto a surface into which were engraved the family of creatures. It is roughly 13cm 12.7 cm (over 5 inches) diameter, 6 cm (2-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima...

Done in the Annan style which is a Japanese adaptation of porcelain-wares imported from a region of ancient Imperial China (now part of Vietnam) from the late Muromachi period (1392 - 1573). At the time this type of pottery was hugely popular among tea devotees and this enthusiasm continues into the modern day...

ZEN ZEBRA

Upside-down Japanese bamboo ikebana vase painted in black and white calligraphy, attached with aluminum plate on the top and pink corrugated urethane foam at lower part, made by Dai Okumura (@dai_okumura), 2023, H 74.5 x W 40 x D 30cm (29.33 x 15.74 x 11.81in)

This is a form of 'Bi No Yo' (lit. 'Usage Of Beauty' - Adaptation from perfection) as a counter for the recognition of art called ‘Yo No Bi’ (lit...

Scroll painting depicting a humorous Daikoku, God of Wealth and kitchen, brings prosperity to the household. He is holding a mallet and a sack and standing on a huge daikon / radish. Painted in Zen style, ink on paper. Inscribed and dated: Taisho 1924, sealed and signed. Picture size: H 87 x W 30 cm. Scroll full size: H 175 x 39 cm. Condition: fair, a few stains. Recent mounting.

A chawan decorated with dramatic geometrics by Shigemori Yoko enclosed in a signed wooden box titled Square Triangle Circle Chawan. The brushwork is clearly spontaneous, as the best of the Zen artists of centuries past. Lines scored into the surface are improviso, the entire impulsive without being overbearing, freehand and spur of the moment. There is no sense of premeditation. The bowl is 14.5 cm diameter, 8 cm tall and in excellent condition enclosed in a box annotated by her nephew.
...

An impressive mokubi painting in ink and gold on silk depicting the Zen Buddhist patriarch Bodhidharma/Daruma in profile. Signed and sealed: Imai Tenroku (b. 1866), a specialist in the painting of Buddhist subjects. The present painting is dated Taisho 8 (1919). Fully inscribed box and paper w. artist’s data. L 185, W 52 cm. Picture frame: L 112 cm, W 40.5 cm. Condition: Very fine (at the bottom a small portion of the silk has loosened from the mounting).

A pair of six panel byobu by Abbot of Daitokuji, Priest Sohan Gempo (Murasakino Shoun) dating from the Meiji to Taisho period. The subject is an old song used to teach the basics of literacy as it is a panagram, containing every letter in the Japanese alphabet once; a popular subject for Zen artists for its simplicity and usefulness. The song itself seems to say, Keep it Simple, and the title I Ro Ha is used to mean basic. It can be translated according to Dr. Ryuichi Abe: Although its scen...

The character “Hiraku” Open (or to Open) in bold scratchy strokes by the infamous nun Murase Myodo. Open you mind, open the path to enlightenment, the path is open to all, but like this calligraphy work is not easy, it is dry and thorny and the gate must be passed. Ink on paper in a silk border with wood rollers. It is 24-1/2 x 48-1/2 inches (62 x 123.5 cm) and is in excellent condition.
Born in 1924 in Aichi, one of 9 children, a chance encounter with a nun in her village led her ...

Sambaso dancer with the typical high hat (striped eboshi) with a sun disc (round circle) on each side. In his left hand he holds suzu jingle bells; his right hand, on his back, holds a fan. Single block carving (ichiboku); keyaki (zelkova) wood, carved in a faceted way, resembling ittobori, and stained dark brown.

Japan, Taisho era, 1910s-1920s.
H ca. 18 inches.
One repaired crack from the bottom going up into his left shoulder, some scuffs and chips at edges, several tension ...

Really rare! A finest piece of art, a Yuzu-Hada (like citron peel)-Chawan with celadon glaze from 1970, made by Living National Treasure Uichi Shimizu (1926 - 2004). It comes with no chips or cracks with its originally signed and sealed wooden box a cloth with his seal.

Size: 7,5 cm height x 15,9 cm in diameter.

Born in Kyoto in 1926, Shimizu Uichi was one of the foremost Kyoto-based artists of his time. Having studied under Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro (189...

This is a beautiful example of an old Kyoto Yuzen dyeing. In this kimono, you can see the white lines around the designs, the very characteristic of Yuzen dye. This is where the rice paste is used to resist the dye and is later washed off. The dye on the silk bleeds. By outlining or covering the design area with the paste, the dye artists can work with the design more freely in detail than in the older pre-Yuzen method, which simply uses dip dying and/or embroidery. This is the revolutionar...