Here in Kyoto our gallery is located along the Kamo River in a district known as Shobu-en Machi, which roughly translates as “Iris Town.” As you can imagine, the scene depicted in this painting of irises and cranes is one that can be commonly witnessed in our neighborhood in the spring (May) when these flowers are in full bloom. Close inspection of the painting shows one crane amusing itself in the swirling eddies created by rocks on the river bed, while another lifts its head to admire the ...

A very unusual jar covered in crinkled metallic green glaze with a wooden lid covered with cloth wrapped in a net of orange chord made to hold tea leaves by Sugimoto Sadamitsu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The appearance is deceptively large. Spectacular kiln effects live up to this artists reputation. It is 8 inches (20 cm) diameter, 8-1/2 inches (21.5 cm) tall plus lid. And in excellent condition.. This is the first and only tea leaf jar (Chatsubo) I have seen by this import...

Ohara Koson (Shoson)
Three Red Carp, water plant above
Size: Yoko o-tanzaku. Approximately 15.25 x 6.75 inches.
Date: ca. 1920s-1930s. "Paris, August 1939" noted in pencil on the verso in French.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: S39.3 and Watanabe W36-571 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Condition: Excellent.

The fine crackled feldspar glazing of this Hagi composition contrasts nicely with the red ferrous clay of the base and the wrought silver globe resting atop. Along the lower half can be seen a geometric windowed pattern giving this incense burner a sense of dimensionality.

Legendary potter Miwa Kyuwa (1885-1981) has been credited with reviving the Hagi tradition of pottery after the war. Unmatched in the field, his works are held in private collections and in museums around the worl...

Though ripe with interpretative meaning, waterfalls are often associated with the ideas of unharnessed elemental motion and change, purification and cleansing, and journeys into the fantastical or unknown. The title of this work is 水墨水 (suiboku sui) or Water in Indian Ink.

A former councilor of the prestigious Nitten Exhibition and one of the leaders of the Japanese painting movement from the 1980s onward, Genjin Sugihara (1912 - 2009) was best known for powerful landscapes su...

A 15-16th C. Chinese Ming dynasty turquoise glazed roof tile depicting a guardian demon figurine warrior protecting house and family in Chinese tradition. In it is very good condition consider it is very old。It's museum quality 。H：31cm $1250 Sale pending

Ohara Hoson (Koson)
Monkey surrounded by four young, carrying a persimmon
Size: Oban. Approximately 14.75 x 10.75 inches.
Date: 1930s.
Publisher: Kawaguchi and Sakai. Publisher's seal in right margin. Carver and printer seals in left margin.
Bears Koson's "Hoson" signature and seal.
Reference: AH.1 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent with very faint matte ...

Oribe is a visual style named after the late-16th-century tea master Furuta Oribe (1544-1615). Typically, black or green glazes are applied to asymmetrical clay bodies and light-colored windows are created using feldspar. These high-contrast areas then act as a canvases upon which abstract, minimalistic, and often naturalistic themes are painted.

Unmistakably modern, this unique water jug used for tea ceremony (mizusashi) pushes the bounds of traditional Oribe into new territory by...

A striking large Tsubo in silvered Bizen ware by innovative Bizen artist Matsui Tomoyuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Ginsai Tsubo and dating circa 1990. It exhibits all the features of great Bizen, the smooth clay struck with flashes of darker color. The sense is that of seeing a Bizen Tsubo in an old tintype photograph, a most unique approach. It is 10-1/2 inches (27 cm) diameter, 12 inches (30 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Matsui Tomoyuki is one of t...

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest of drawers) from the Kyoto region. The chest has an open shelved compartment, with a money slot on the bottom shelf that drops into the drawer below. With black iron Warabite style handles on each drawer, 3 of which also have squared lock plates with Chrysanthemum studs.

The Kurinoki (Chestnut wood) frame is constructed using through mortise and tenon joinery while the drawers are made of Kirinoki (Paulownia wood). Meiji Period (1868-1912)<...

Chinese bronze 3 piece figure of a donkey and rider. The old man rider holds a scepter in his hands. His hat may be removed and incense placed inside his head, so the smoke would billow out from the front. On hardwood display stand with scroll legs.

Early 20th Century

Dimensions: 10" L x 5" D x 13" H (14.5" H w/ stand)

Japanese mid 20th century bronze vase with swirling floral design by KURITA YUKIO. The vase comes with TOMOBAKO, or original artist signed wooden storage box. The vase measures 11 3/8" tall and 7" in diameter.

Chinese Tang dynasty Changsha large bowl. 20 cm diameter. Bowl in good conditions except glaze erosion. Free from any restorations or repainted.

This is a fine Famille Rose Figural Molded Porcelain Snuff Bottle, of flattened ovoid form, with a waisted neck, a flat gilded lip, and an oval concave foot. The body of the bottle crisply molded with bright colors a scene of the Nine Buddhist Lions at play amid clouds. The neck decorated with a leiwen border. There is a Qianlong Period (1,711 - 1,799) seal script Mark in iron red letters to the base. It comes with a red coral stopper. There vividly colorful bottle is in remarkable p...

1800's, excellently hand-carved Japanese mix-materials netsuke depicting Okame performing the Japanese custom of Mamemaki (bean scattering) during Setsubun (the day before the beginning of Spring) to cleanse away all the evil (demons) of the former year, and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. In the scene depicted by the netsuke, Okame is covering her face while grinning when she sees the Oni's (demons) trying to hide from the beans that she is throwing and that are ...

19th century finely hand-carved Japanese boxwood netsuke of a muscular blind masseur or Totsuka Beggar crouching and trying to lift his hugely distended scrotum. He is wearing only a fundoshi. Excellent detail and patination; he grimaces as he attempts to lift the large stone. His left eye and teeth are inlaid with light and dark horn. Very nice uneven himotoshi. Signed Hakudosai on a rectangular reserve on the bottom of the netsuke. It measures 1.38 inches (3.5cm) wide, and 1.40 inches...

Chinese Tang - Five dynasties Yue Yao bowl with foliated rim shape. 17 cm diameter. Good conditions. Free fro any repair.

Five completely unique bowls by important contemporary artist Yamada Kazu showing five unique aspects of Mino-ware enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Meshiwan, Shino, Hikidashi guro, Oribe, Kiseto, Kakuyu Oribe and dating circa 2000. Each is roughly 5 inches (12.5 cm) diameter and all are in excellent condition.
Kazu was born in Tokoname city, one of Japans ancient kiln areas, into a line of potters. He would have been influenced early on by his father, Yamada Kenkichi and...