{"title":"特集 \"人間国宝 | Living National Treasures\"","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis exhibition offers an opportunity to discuss the relationship between tradition and innovation, the transmission of knowledge across generations, and the extraordinary individuality of artists working within established disciplines of ceramics, lacquer, metalwork, woodwork, and bamboo art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach piece reflects decades of dedication, technical mastery, and a profound dialogue with its chosen material. These artists are not merely preserving the past. Through their work, they are ensuring that centuries-old traditions remain living, evolving forms of artistic expression.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"wooden-tray-carved-with-frog-by-lnt-ー音丸-耕堂-木地菓子鉢","title":"Wooden Tray Carved with Frog by LNT ー音丸 耕堂 ”木地菓子鉢”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautifully understated wooden confectionery tray by Living National Treasure Otomaru Kōdō, enclosed in its original signed wooden box dating to circa 1965 and titled Kiji Kashi-bachi. Turned from a single piece of wood, the broad shallow form is left almost entirely undecorated, allowing the warm color and gently flowing grain to become part of the composition. Near one side, a diminutive frog is delicately carved in low relief, poised with its legs gathered beneath it as though about to leap from the otherwise empty surface. A restrained touch of gold highlights the body of the frog, drawing the eye toward this tiny interruption in the expanse of natural wood. Particularly appealing is the contrast with Otomaru's celebrated work in elaborate carved lacquer: here the virtuosity is reduced to a single, quietly observed creature and an exceptionally simple form. It measures 27 cm (10-5\/8 inches) in diameter and 3.5 cm (1-3\/8 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtomaru Kodo (1898–1987) was a distinguished Japanese lacquer artist renowned for his mastery of choshitsu (carved lacquer) techniques. Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, he began his apprenticeship under Ishii Keido in 1910 and, from 1914, independently studied the works of Tamakaji Zokoku, a pioneer of Sanuki lacquer art. In 1921, Otomaru co-founded the art group Kofukai with metalcraft artist Osuga Takashi and others, actively participating in exhibitions. His work gained significant recognition in 1932 when he was first accepted into the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten), leading to regular displays in subsequent exhibitions. In 1942, his carved-lacquer piece, \"Cosmetic box with moon-flower design,\" received a special award at the 5th New Ministry of Education Art Exhibition; this work is now part of the Takamatsu Art Museum's collection. Otomaru's innovative use of rich colors set his work apart. While traditional lacquerware primarily utilized vermillion, black, yellow, green, and brown, he introduced new pigments to achieve a broader spectrum of hues, enhancing the expressiveness of his designs. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese crafts, Otomaru was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder (Living National Treasure) in 1955, specifically in the carved-lacquer division. That same year, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Japan Kōgei Association, further influencing the development of traditional Japanese crafts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Otomaru Kodo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50258650300663,"sku":"K1057","price":1250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-11-1508.18.18.jpg?v=1792131275"},{"product_id":"very-early-yohen-vase-by-lnt-shimizu-uichi-ー","title":"Very Early Yohen Vase by LNT ー清水 卯一 “窯変 花瓶”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn unusually lyrical early work by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yohen Kabin; the kiln transformation expressed through extremely subtle passages of cream, yellow, grey and faint blue-green. This handled flower vase pairs an elongated, almost ewer-like form with a pale glaze whose quiet complexity only becomes apparent at close range. From a rounded lower body the vessel rises into a long, gently tapering neck, while a generously arched handle joins shoulder and upper neck. Most distinctive is the mouth, which opens into an irregular, softly undulating rim, giving the otherwise upright form a spontaneous, almost flower-like termination. The surface is enveloped in a softly textured glaze ranging from ivory and warm cream to delicate yellow, with occasional passages of grey and the faintest suggestion of blue-green. Rather than forming a uniform skin, the glaze gathers, thins and changes character across the vessel: warmer yellow tones pool around the neck and handle, while subtle blushes of grey and pink appear toward the lower body. Minute pinholes and granular irregularities remain visible throughout, lending the pale surface a dry, softly weathered quality. Around the foot, the glaze withdraws to reveal a narrow line of warm reddish clay, a small but vivid accent against the otherwise restrained palette. It is 11x 13.5 x 26 cm (4-1\/2 x 5-1\/4 x 10-1\/2 inches) and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51159557374199,"sku":"MC1487","price":550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-10-1803.36.41.jpg?v=1789352620"},{"product_id":"mid-century-bowl-by-lnt-ー清水-卯一-白釉-器","title":"Mid-century Bowl by LNT ー清水 卯一 “白釉 器”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA white form from the post-war era by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hakuyu Utsuwa. It is an extraordinarily mid-century object, and quite different from the forms through which Shimizu later became familiar. The box inscription is wonderfully noncommittal “White-glazed Vessel.” Not chawan, hachi, kabin, or another functional designation. The choice of utsuwa is significant. Shimizu seems deliberately unwilling to tell us exactly what this object is for. vessel reveals Shimizu Uichi exploring form with an almost geometric economy. A deep central well is surrounded by a remarkably broad horizontal flange, transforming the familiar vocabulary of the bowl into a composition of concentric circles, planes and voids. The pale glaze is quiet and slightly granular, while a fine dark line gathers around the outermost edge, sharply articulating the vessel's circumference. Viewed from above it appears almost abstract; from the side, the thin projecting flange seems to hover above the heavier body beneath. Shimizu's experiments were not confined to what could happen upon the surface of a pot; sometimes he reconsidered the pot itself. It is 16 cm (6-1\/2 inches) diameter, 8 cm (3 inches) tall and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51159570514167,"sku":"MC1490","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-10-1805.49.32.jpg?v=1789353264"},{"product_id":"lnt-flaring-celadon-chawan-tea-bowl-ー清水-卯一-茶盌","title":"LNT Flaring Celadon Chawan Tea Bowl ー清水 卯一 “茶盌”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA broad, exceptionally thinly potted tea bowl by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, covered in a softly luminous celadon glaze and enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Chawan. Rising from a small foot, the low rounded body opens generously outward to a subtly irregular flaring rim, giving the bowl an unusually light and expansive profile. The pale blue-green glaze is traversed by a broad network of fine crackle, while gentle depressions and undulations in the clay remain visible beneath the translucent surface, creating shifting areas of depth and tone both inside and out. Along the lip the celadon thins to reveal the dark iron-rich body beneath, forming a fine charcoal-brown line that sharply defines the circumference. Below, the glaze ends cleanly around the foot, exposing the deep reddish-brown clay and Shimizu's impressed seal. The contrast between the cool, almost watery celadon and the dark clay gives definition to an otherwise remarkably restrained bowl. At 15.5 cm (over 6 inches) in diameter yet only 6.5 cm (2-1\/2 inches) tall, its breadth and shallow form emphasize the delicacy of its construction. It is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI particularly like the dark line around the rim on this piece. Because the celadon is so pale and ethereal, that almost ink-drawn circumference gives the entire bowl definition; without it, the form might visually dissolve. It is also a very Shimizu-like handling of celadon: rather than attempting the immaculate, evenly colored surface associated with classical Longquan wares, he allows the darker body, throwing irregularities, crackle and slight glaze variations to remain active parts of the composition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51255380771063,"sku":"MC1848","price":950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2911.28.22.jpg?v=1791006726"},{"product_id":"lnt-tokkuri-sake-flask-ー清水-卯一-鉄絵徳利","title":"LNT Tokkuri Sake Flask ー清水 卯一 “鉄絵徳利”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA wonderfully expressive iron-painted sake flask by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tetsu-e Tokkuri. The compact, slightly irregular body rises to rounded shoulders and a short neck terminating in a thick, softly distorted mouth, the entire form retaining the immediacy of its making. A translucent grey-green ash glaze covers the vessel, pooling and thinning over the uneven surface and breaking to warm ochre along ridges and edges. Beneath and within the glaze, freely brushed iron decoration appears as wandering brown lines, dashes and angular strokes, some sharp and calligraphic, others dissolving into the glaze during firing. Horizontal lines encircling the shoulder play against these spontaneous marks, giving the small vessel a remarkable sense of movement. Fine crazing, pinholes and areas where the glaze has crawled or contracted further enliven the surface, while the underside is particularly rugged, revealing the effects of firing in a dense landscape of exposed clay, fused glaze and kiln markings. Rather than disguising these irregularities, Shimizu makes them integral to the character of the work, balancing deliberate brushwork against the unpredictable transformations of fire. It measures 9 cm (3-1\/2 inches) in diameter, 14 cm (5-1\/2 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51255384146167,"sku":"MC1849","price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2911.37.50.jpg?v=1791006922"},{"product_id":"lnt-seiji-celadon-vase-ー清水-卯一-青瓷花瓶","title":"LNT Seiji Celadon Vase ー清水 卯一 “青瓷花瓶”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA tall celadon vase by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji Kabin. Rising from a softly rounded, almost pear-shaped body, the vessel narrows through the shoulder into a remarkably long, gently tapering neck, giving the otherwise substantial form an elegant verticality. The surface is covered in a luminous blue-green celadon glaze, cloudy and translucent in appearance, shifting from pale aqua to deeper blue-green as it gathers over the irregularities of the body. Beneath the glaze, broad horizontal throwing marks ripple around the lower vessel, their movement softened by a fine network of crazing and the depth of the glaze. Rather than pursuing the cool perfection often associated with classical celadon, Shimizu allows the process of forming and firing to remain clearly visible, giving the vase an unusually fluid, almost aqueous quality. The base is especially revealing, where the glaze pools to a darker grey-green around the foot and three pale firing marks remain visible, with Shimizu's seal impressed at the center. The combination of the elongated silhouette, subtly irregular profile and shifting blue-green surface gives the vessel a quiet but commanding presence. It measures 13.5 cm (5-1\/2 inches) in diameter, 33.5 cm (13-1\/4 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51255385030903,"sku":"MC1850","price":950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2911.42.37_2.jpg?v=1791007086"},{"product_id":"lnt-5-pc-yunomi-tea-cup-set-ー清水-卯一-五客-湯呑","title":"LNT 5 pc Yunomi Tea Cup Set ー清水 卯一 “五客 湯呑”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA lively set of five individually formed and glazed yunomi tea cups by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Go-kyaku Yunomi. Rather than treating the five as identical pieces, Shimizu explores variations of form, surface and firing within a deliberately unified group. Three cups are enveloped in a lustrous black iron glaze, its depths animated by mottled silvery oil-spot effects, while their white interiors create a striking contrast at the irregular rims. The remaining two are covered in a softly crackled white glaze over warm reddish clay; one is gently pinched and faceted, while the other is marked by deep vertical indentations that interrupt the otherwise simple cylindrical form. The unglazed bases expose differing tones of the fired clay and bear Shimizu’s impressed seal. Despite their contrasting surfaces, all five share an upright, slightly irregular profile and the unmistakable immediacy of individually worked clay. Together they form not a set of repetitions, but five variations on a single idea—black and white, smooth and faceted, lustrous and subdued—each cup retaining its own character while remaining part of the whole. They are approximately 7 cm (2-3\/4 inches) in diameter and 9.5 cm (3-3\/4 inches) tall and are in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51255388831991,"sku":"MC1852","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2911.47.31.jpg?v=1791007651"},{"product_id":"fabulous-lnt-salt-glazed-chawan-tea-bowl-ー浜田-庄司-塩釉色差茶盌","title":"Fabulous LNT Salt Glazed Chawan Tea Bowl ー浜田 庄司 “塩釉色差茶盌”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA superb salt-glazed tea bowl by Living National Treasure Hamada Shōji, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Shio-yū Irosashi Chawan. Deeply formed in the classic wan-gata shape, the bowl rises from a compact foot into a full rounded body before opening at a gently irregular rim. Its quiet form provides the ground for an exceptionally lively surface, where the salt firing has produced a translucent grey-green glaze of remarkable texture, densely speckled and subtly pitted, with the granular character of the clay remaining visible beneath. Across this muted surface Hamada has applied a sparse rhythm of color: brilliant pools of cobalt blue alternate with warm iron-brown marks, while broad, almost translucent strokes of pale slip sweep vertically and diagonally around the body. Some appear as simple bands; others broaden and turn as they cross the curve of the bowl. The colored accents seem almost suspended within this loose framework, appearing and disappearing as the vessel is turned. Particularly effective is the cobalt, whose sudden intensity punctuates the subdued grey surface without overwhelming it. The interior is left comparatively restrained, its warm grey-beige glaze revealing the concentric traces of throwing and allowing the eye to settle after the movement of the exterior. Below, the substantial foot is roughly finished, with small areas of warm reddish clay exposed where the glaze withdraws. The contrast is characteristic of Hamada at his most assured: coarse clay and salt glaze, loosely applied slip and only a handful of colored marks are brought together without fuss, each material allowed to retain its individual character. It is 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter, 9 cm (3-1\/2 inches) tall and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSalt glazing held particular significance for Hamada. He had encountered the tradition in England during his years with Bernard Leach at St Ives, where the technique had long European precedents, and later incorporated it into the vocabulary of his Mashiko pottery. Rather than imitating European salt-glazed stoneware, however, Hamada absorbed the process into his own language of Japanese vessel forms, spontaneous decoration and locally rooted materials. In this chawan, the characteristic slightly rough, glassy salt surface becomes a particularly effective ground for his irosashi decoration.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHamada Shoji was born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1894. In 1913, at the age of 19, he entered the Ceramics Department of the Tokyo Higher Technical School (now the Tokyo Institute of Technology) where he formed a friendship with senior student Kawai Kanjiro. In 1918 after visiting an exhibition, Yanagi Soetsu introduced him to the important British potter Bernard Leach, and the history of ceramic art was forever changed. The following year, he moved to England with Leach where he lived in St. Ives. After returning to Japan (1924), he spent time in Okinawa studying and appreciating the Tsuboya pottery of the island region. He then stayed with Kanjiro in Kyoto, where he, Yanagi, and Kanjiro established the principles of the Mingei movement.  Hamada then chose to establish his own kiln in the sleepy northern town of Mashiko.  He worked incessantly to further the Mingei ideals, using local clays and materials, and became mentor to any number of artist both domestic and from abroad.  He was named a Living National Treasure in 1955.  One of the most influential and sought after of all Japanese Ceramic artists.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hamada Shoji","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51310833729783,"sku":"MC1616","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-04-0717.25.31.jpg?v=1791962893"},{"product_id":"rare-kyuwa-koro-incense-burner-ー十代-三輪-休雪-休和-萩焼-立瓜-香爐","title":"Rare Kyuwa Koro Incense Burner ー十代 三輪 休雪 (休和) “萩焼 立瓜 香爐”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn unusual Hagi incense burner by Living National Treasure Miwa Kyūsetsu X, later known as Kyūwa, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hagi-yaki Uri Kōro. The rounded vessel stands upon three small feet and is covered with an exuberant trailing vine modeled in relief, its curling tendrils, broad leaves, blossoms and swelling gourds wandering freely around the body. A softly translucent Hagi glaze pools milky white around the raised decoration while thinning elsewhere to reveal the warm pink and ochre tones of the clay beneath, the entire surface crossed by a fine network of crackle. The domed lid continues the botanical design and is pierced with irregular openings through which the incense smoke escapes. Elaborate in conception yet restrained by the quiet palette of Hagi ware, the piece balances the profusion of its vine decoration with the softness and subtle variation of the glaze. Miwa's impressed seal appears beneath the vessel. It measures 11.5 cm (4-1\/2 inches) in diameter and 14 cm (5-1\/2 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI particularly like this piece. It feels rather different from the austere tea wares for which Kyūwa is most familiar: almost playful, yet the restrained Hagi palette prevents the elaborate relief from becoming decorative excess. The contrast between the profusion of the vine and the quietness of the glaze is really what makes it work.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiwa Kyusetsu X (1896-1977) was born the second son of Miwa Setsudo IX in a long line of Hagi potters.  He began potting at the age of 14, and succeeded the family name in 1927.  In the pre- and post-war years, he was a leader in reviving Hagi pottery (and his name is associated with the other great revivalists Kawakita Handeishi, Arakawa Toyozo and Kaneshige Toyo).  He is most known for his excellence in creating traditional Zen Tea ware, and his bowls are some of the most sought after in Japan. He took the name Kyuwa in 1967, passing the torch on to the 11th generation of the family.  It was Kyusetsu who reinvigorated the Hagi craft movement in the mid Showa era for which he received the prestigious title of Mukei Bunkazai (Living National Treasure) in 1970. The first Living National Treasure of Hagi.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Miwa Kyusetsu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51310860927223,"sku":"MC1660","price":1100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-2516.44.05.jpg?v=1791963197"},{"product_id":"hagi-mizusashi-by-lnt-ー十一代-三輪-休雪-白萩水指","title":"Hagi Mizusashi by LNT ー十一代 三輪 休雪 “白萩水指”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA powerful Shiro-Hagi fresh-water jar for the Japanese Maccha Tea Ceremony covered in crawling white glaze by Living National Treasure Miwa Kyusetsu XI, enclosed in its original signed wooden box and protected by a black lacquered outer box (Niju bako). The heavily worked vessel is covered in Kyusetsu's characteristically thick white Hagi glaze, which crawls and separates dramatically across the surface to expose the warm reddish clay beneath. Around the upper body, irregular patches of glaze create an almost mosaic-like pattern, while the lower section retains traces of vigorous forming and a broad area of exposed clay at the foot. Particularly engaging are the two small sculpted animal-mask handles projecting from opposite sides, their darker iron-rich details emerging unexpectedly from the surrounding white glaze. A deeply rounded rim encloses the inset ceramic lid, itself animated by areas where the glaze has drawn back during firing. Robust and deliberately irregular, the Mizusashi transforms the traditional softness of Hagi into something strongly sculptural, balancing the creamy white glaze against the earthy body beneath. It measures 21.5 x 20.5 x 15.5 cm (8-1\/2 x 8 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiwa Kyusetsu XI (1910-2012) was born the third son of the ninth generation Miwa Kyusetsu (Setsudo) and studied under his father and older brother (Kyusetsu X: Kyuwa).  He also studied under Kawakita Handeishi. He was first exhibited in 1955, and garnered his first accolades at the 4th National Traditional Craft Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei Ten) in 1957.  Following the retirement of the 10th generation Kyusetsu, he succeeded the name in 1967. He received the Imperial Order with Purple Ribbon in 1976 and the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1982. He was acknowledged as a Yamaguchi Prefectural Preserver of Intangible Cultural Properties in 1972 and Designated Living National Treasure in 1983.  He officially retired, passing on the family name and mantle to Miwa Ryusaku, but continued making pottery under the name “Jusetsu”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Miwa Kyusetsu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51310896021751,"sku":"MC1438","price":3400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-3006.38.30.jpg?v=1791963713"},{"product_id":"lnt-tokkuri-sake-flask-ー清水-卯一-蓬莱徳利","title":"LNT Tokkuri Sake Flask ー清水 卯一 “蓬莱徳利”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA boldly glazed tokkuri sake flask by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Horai Tokkuri. The compact pear-shaped body rises through a short, constricted neck to a generously flared mouth, giving the vessel a strong silhouette despite its intimate scale. Across the dark iron-rich body, Shimizu has poured and trailed a thick white glaze in broad, spontaneous passages, leaving large areas of the lustrous brown-black ground exposed. Where the two glazes meet, iron bleeds into the white in fine rust-colored lines and branching fissures, while longer streaks descend across the body like freely drawn brushwork. The white glaze varies from opaque and creamy to thin and translucent, punctuated by pinholes and fine crackle, and in places gathers into rounded drops before stopping abruptly against the dark ground. Particularly striking is the contrast between the energetic exterior and the deep glossy brown of the flared mouth and interior. The underside is left unglazed, revealing the coarse grey clay and Shimizu's impressed seal. Although modest in function and scale, the tokkuri has an almost painterly character, its surface recording the movement of liquid glaze across the rounded form. It measures 9 cm (3-1\/2 inches) in diameter, 13 cm (just over 5 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51310941864183,"sku":"MC1831","price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2511.48.31.jpg?v=1791964035"},{"product_id":"large-lnt-okinawan-tsubo-ー金城-次郎-壺","title":"Large LNT Okinawan Tsubo ー金城 次郎 “壺”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA large and particularly expressive Museum Quality Okinawan vessel by Living National Treasure Kinjo Jirō, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled simply Tsubo (Jar). The generously rounded body rises into a long, narrowing neck before opening dramatically at the mouth, its strong silhouette providing a broad field for Kinjo’s celebrated fish decoration. Large fish leap and turn around the vessel, vigorously drawn in kaki-otoshi incised lines and enlivened with iron-brown and blue-green glazes, their scales, fins and sweeping contours animated by the visible movement of the artist’s hand. Geometric bands encircle the shoulder and lower body, while the flaring mouth is covered in a richly mottled turquoise, green and brown glaze that pools and runs irregularly over the rim. Particularly impressive at this scale is the freedom of Kinjo’s drawing: the fish are not confined within formal panels but seem to swim continuously around the swelling body, giving the vessel movement from every angle. It measures 20.5 cm (8 inches) in diameter and 39.5 cm (15-1\/2 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKinjo Jirō (1912–2004) was a master of Okinawan Tsuboya ware and the first ceramic artist from the Ryukyu Islands to be designated a Living National Treasure in 1985. Born in Naha, he revitalized the Tsuboya tradition, a ceramic lineage shaped by both Chinese and Japanese influences, and became renowned for his bold, freehand underglaze brushwork in iron-oxide slip beneath translucent glaze. His vessels, often adorned with motifs of fish, birds, and flowers, embody a rustic vitality and spirited expressiveness aligned with the ideals of the Mingei (folk craft) movement. Kinjo’s work preserved the distinct identity of Okinawan pottery while establishing its recognition within the wider sphere of Japanese ceramics. Today his works are represented in major collections, including the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum (Nihon Mingeikan), and the British Museum, ensuring his enduring legacy within both Japanese and international ceramic history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kinjo Jiro","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311020802295,"sku":"MC1612","price":2600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-04-0715.35.44.jpg?v=1791964284"},{"product_id":"exquisite-bottle-vase-by-lnt-ー田村-耕一-鉄絵壺","title":"Exquisite Bottle Vase by LNT ー田村 耕一 “鉄絵壺”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elegant bottle-shaped vase by Living National Treasure Tamura Kōichi, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Tetsu-e Tsubo (Iron-Painted Jar). The gently swelling body rises to rounded shoulders and a short neck with a strongly defined, slightly irregular mouth, the restrained form covered in a softly crackled ivory-white glaze. Across one side Tamura has painted an extraordinarily spare abstract design in iron, a slender branching line punctuated by concentrated passages of rust-red, brown and almost black, while the reverse is deliberately left largely undecorated. A broad iron band encircles the vessel at its widest point, anchoring the freely brushed vertical composition and emphasizing the transition between the rounded upper body and tapering base. The contrast between the quiet white field and the spontaneous iron painting is characteristic of Tamura's mature work, allowing the movement and varied density of each brushstroke to become the principal decoration. It measures 16 cm (6-1\/4 inches) in diameter and 29.5 cm (11-5\/8 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTamura Kōichi (1918–1987) studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and later worked under Tomimoto Kenkichi, whose approach to modern ceramic decoration had an important influence on his development. Tamura became particularly celebrated for his expressive use of iron painting and iron glazes, combining vigorous, often highly abbreviated brushwork with strongly conceived vessel forms. He later taught at his alma mater and in 1986 was designated a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) for his iron-painted ceramics (tetsu-e), one year before his death.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tamura Koichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311159181559,"sku":"MC1822","price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2515.27.56.jpg?v=1791964917"},{"product_id":"neriage-tsubo-by-lnt-ー松井-康成-練上華文壷","title":"Neriage Tsubo by LNT ー松井 康成 “練上華文壷”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exceptional neriage vessel by Living National Treasure Matsui Kōsei, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Neriage Kamon Tsubo. The full, almost spherical form is covered with a dense profusion of flowers created entirely through Matsui's manipulation of differently colored clays. Layers of white, pale grey and charcoal clay open into individual blossoms, each surrounded by swirling striations that merge one flower almost imperceptibly into the next. Small touches of gold at the centers provide restrained points of warmth within the cool monochrome surface. Rather than decoration applied upon the vessel, the floral imagery emerges from the laminated clay itself, transforming neriage into an extraordinarily painterly medium while retaining the geological quality inherent to the technique. The broad unglazed foot offers a particularly revealing glimpse of the underlying strata from which the intricate surface was formed. It measures 23.5 cm (9-1\/4 inches) in diameter and 20.5 cm (8 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japan Times wrote “Kosei Matsui, a designated living national treasure, fused traditional techniques with his own creative expression to craft beautiful ceramics.”  Kosei was born in Nagano in 1927.  A deeply spiritual individual, he graduated the literature department of the prestigious Meiji University in 1957, then entered the priesthood, finding the life of a Buddhist recluse suited him.  He was granted the temple Gessoji in Kasama three years later.  There he established a kiln where he experimented with ancient Chinese and Korean techniques, including Neriage. In an effort to further his technique he began studying with (future) Living National Tresure Tamura Koichi, and began to submit works in earnest to public viewing in the late 60s.  He was first recognized at the Dento Kogei Shinsakuten (National Traditional New Crafts Exhibition) in 1970. Following several more prizes there, he was awarded at the Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition two years later, and again in '73 at the Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition.  Shortly after that he was granted the important Japan Ceramics Society Award in 1974.  Throughout his career he was highly lauded, receiving among many others the Order of Cultural Merrit (1988) as well as the JCS Gold Prize (1990); finally garnering the title Ningen Kokuho in 1993 and the Order of the Rising Sun from his majesty three years before his death in 2003.  He is held in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN National Museums of Modern Art, both Kyoto and Tokyo, Victoria and Albert, Saint Louis Art Museum, Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum and Art Institute of Chicago among many others.  For more see Japanese Ceramics in American Collections (Baekeland, Frederick. 1993), Toh: vol.89 (1993), Japanese Studio Crafts: Tradition and the Avant-garde (Rupert Faulkner) or Japanese Ceramics for the Twenty-first Century (2014).\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Matsui Kosei","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311186739447,"sku":"MC1755","price":5600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-08-0514.59.45.jpg?v=1791965247"},{"product_id":"octagonal-porcelain-dish-by-lnt-ー加藤-卓男-藍彩貼花文八角鉢","title":"Octagonal Porcelain Dish by LNT ー加藤 卓男 “藍彩貼花文八角鉢”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elegant octagonal dish by Living National Treasure Kato Takuo, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Aisai Chōkamon Hakkaku-bachi. The low, crisply articulated eight-sided form is covered in a softly crackled ivory glaze, across which deep cobalt blue flows freely over the raised walls and rim, pooling and trailing in a manner reminiscent of Kato's celebrated Sansai work. Small applied floral motifs (chōka) punctuate the sides in amber and green, while the broad central well is washed in a delicate pale blue-green glaze. Within it, overlapping stylized flowers appear almost submerged beneath the glaze, their incised and impressed outlines emerging quietly as the light moves across the surface. The contrast between the disciplined geometry of the octagonal form and the fluidity of the running blue glaze gives the vessel particular vitality. Kato's mark appears within the recessed unglazed base. It measures 22 cm (8-5\/8 inches) across and 5.5 cm (2-1\/8 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKato Takuo (1917-2005), I am sure, requires no introduction. He was born in Tajimi, center of the Mino ceramic tradition the son of Kato Kobei. Trained in ceramics at the Tajimi Technical School as well as under his father. He entered military service in 1938, and served until wars end. He then contracted leukemia, and spent another ten years fighting for his life. He debuted at the Nitten National Exhibition in 1956, and was soon accepted and consistently displayed at any number of National and International Exhibitions. In 1980 he was commissioned by the Imperial Household Agency to produce a restoration of the Shosoin Three Color Glaze. In 1991 he received the JCS (Japan Ceramic Society) prize, one of the most important honors for a potter. He was named a Living National Treasure in 1995 for his work in Sansai glazes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kato Takuo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311222882551,"sku":"MC1813","price":1100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-0715.56.19.jpg?v=1791965917"},{"product_id":"breathtaking-lnt-tsubo-ー島岡-達三-白釉象-流文壺","title":"Breathtaking LNT Tsubo ー島岡 達三 “白釉象 流文壺”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn expressive tsubo by Living National Treasure Shimaoka Tatsuzō, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Haku-yū Zōgan Nagashimon Tsubo. The full, rounded vessel is covered in a softly luminous blue-white glaze through which Shimaoka's characteristic rope-impressed pattern remains visible, creating a quiet rhythmic texture across the surface. Against this ordered ground, broad iron-rich designs flow freely around the body in sweeping concentric forms, their dark olive-brown passages feathering and dissolving into the surrounding glaze. On the reverse, a softer wash of green and pale violet forms another loosely circular motif, giving the vessel distinctly different expressions as it is turned. The contrast between the disciplined repetition of the impressed ground and the spontaneous, almost calligraphic movement of the flowing glaze is particularly effective, lending the substantial form a sense of movement and depth. The mouth and foot are defined by concentric rings, with warm reddish clay exposed beneath the foot. It measures 23.5 cm (9-1\/4 inches) in diameter, approximately the same in height, and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimaoka Tatsuzo (1919-2007) was born in Tokyo and enrolled in the Tokyo Kogei Daigaku Ceramics division in 1939. The following year he would meet Mashiko Mingei potter Hamada Shoji, and the course of his life was thought set, graduating in 1941. However, he was drafted in 1942, and sent to Burma where he would remain until repatriation after the cessation of hostilities. In 1946 Tatsuzo apprenticed under Hamada who encouraged him to find his own voice, which he did when in 1950 took part in research into ancient Jomon potteries with Shirasaki Shunji, which would have a profound influence on his style. Working with Jomon rope patterns, Tatsuzo set out to create a style unique to himself, establishing his own kiln in 1954. Widely exhibited, awarded and influential in his lifetime, he received the Japan Ceramic Society Gold award in 1994, one of the highest honors for a Japanese ceramic artist, and was designated a Living National Treasure (Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Ningenkokuho) in 1996 culminating with receiving the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimaoka Tatsuzo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311241724151,"sku":"MC773","price":1800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-04-2507.51.29copy.jpg?v=1791966340"},{"product_id":"lnt-carved-and-lacquered-jubako-box-set-ー音丸-耕堂-讃岐彫重箱","title":"LNT Carved and Lacquered Jubako Box Set ー音丸 耕堂 “讃岐彫重箱”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn extraordinary carved and colored lacquer jubako box set by Living National Treasure Otomaru Kōdō, complete with its original fitted wooden storage boxes. The extensive set comprises five square stacking boxes, two interchangeable lids and a separate raised serving stand, allowing the boxes to be arranged either as a single imposing stack or divided into smaller groups. Against expanses of lustrous black lacquer, Otomaru has carved luxuriant bands of seasonal flowers and foliage—chrysanthemums, hibiscus-like blossoms, berries and grasses—picked out in deep green, vermilion, ochre, yellow and russet lacquer. The two lids are particularly elaborate, their circular black centers surrounded by densely carved flowering plants against patterned grounds, while the edges are bordered by a restrained geometric fret. The same decoration continues around the sides of each tier and across the stand, where deeply carved blossoms and leaves frame the pierced handles. Rich in color and remarkably sculptural in execution, the set demonstrates Otomaru's distinctive expansion of the Sanuki carved-lacquer tradition, using differences in depth, texture and colored lacquer to give the decoration an almost three-dimensional presence. The stand measures 31.5 × 31.5 x 10.5 cm (12-1\/2 x 12-1\/2 x 4-1\/8 inches); the five boxes stacked with one lid measure approximately 24 x 24 x 45 cm (9-1\/2 x 9-1\/2 x 17-3\/4 inches). All are in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtomaru Kodo (1898-1987) was a distinguished Japanese lacquer artist renowned for his mastery of choshitsu (carved lacquer) techniques. Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, he began his apprenticeship under Ishii Keido in 1910 and, from 1914, independently studied the works of Tamakaji Zokoku, a pioneer of Sanuki lacquer art. In 1921, Otomaru co-founded the art group Kofukai with metalcraft artist Osuga Takashi and others, actively participating in exhibitions. His work gained significant recognition in 1932 when he was first accepted into the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten), leading to regular displays in subsequent exhibitions. In 1942, his carved-lacquer piece, \"Cosmetic box with moon-flower design,\" received a special award at the 5th New Ministry of Education Art Exhibition; this work is now part of the Takamatsu Art Museum's collection. Otomaru's innovative use of rich colors set his work apart. While traditional lacquerware primarily utilized vermillion, black, yellow, green, and brown, he introduced new pigments to achieve a broader spectrum of hues, enhancing the expressiveness of his designs. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese crafts, Otomaru was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder (Living National Treasure) in 1955, specifically in the carved-lacquer division. That same year, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Japan Kōgei Association, further influencing the development of traditional Japanese crafts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Otomaru Kodo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311245492471,"sku":"K1337","price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-04-0715.21.14.jpg?v=1791966788"},{"product_id":"lnt-chataku-suzu-metal-tea-cup-coasters-ー長野-垤志-花文-錫茶托","title":"LNT Chataku Suzu (Metal) Tea Cup Coasters ー長野 垤志 “花文 錫茶托”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA set of five cast pewter chataku Tea cup coasters for Sencha by Living National Treasure Nagano Tetsushi I, enclosed in the original signed wooden box and dated Shōwa 38 (1963), the same year in which Nagano was designated a Living National Treasure. Each shallow saucer is individually decorated with a different botanical design worked in low relief, including pine, bamboo, flowering and fruiting branches, their asymmetrical compositions sweeping gracefully around the recessed well for the tea cup. The darkened pewter surface has a softly mottled, almost charcoal-like quality, while the raised edges and relief decoration catch the light to reveal the subtle modeling of the metal. Particularly appealing is the variation from one saucer to the next, making the five pieces a related group rather than a mechanically repeated set. Each is signed Tetsushi saku beneath. They measure 12 cm (4-3\/4 inches) in diameter each and are in excellent condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNagano Tetsushi (1900-1977) was born in Aichi Prefecture and initially aspired to become a painter, moving to Tokyo in 1917. Following the Great Kantō Earthquake, however, he turned his focus to the crafts and began studying metal casting under the metal artist Yamamoto Azumi. In 1928, he joined the Nanokakai (Seven-Day Society) led by Katori Hidemasa, and in 1931 he received instruction in the production of tea ceremony kettles (chanoyu-gama) from the Nagoya-based kettle maker Itō Kazumasa. In 1933, he was awarded a Special Prize at the National Teiten Imperial Art Exhibition. In 1963, he was designated a Living National Treasure for his mastery of tea kettle production techniques. He conducted extensive research into classical and celebrated forms such as Ashiya kettles and Tenmyō kettles, producing refined reproductions based on these historical models. At the same time, he developed innovative designs by reinterpreting traditional forms through a modern sensibility. His achievement in successfully reviving the technically demanding Wazuku kettle—long considered extremely difficult to produce—was especially highly acclaimed. In addition to tea kettles, Nagano also created distinguished cast works such as flower vases and jars in bronze and silver. Work by him is held in the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto as well as the National Crafts Museum, part of the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nagano Tetsushi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311247327479,"sku":"K993A","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-09-2506.29.55.jpg?v=1791967124"},{"product_id":"lnt-bronze-chicken-brood-ー香取-正彦-鋳銅鶏","title":"LNT Bronze Chicken Brood ー香取 正彦 “鋳銅鶏”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA wonderfully animated group of bronze chickens by Living National Treasure Katori Masahiko, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chūdō Niwatori (Cast-Bronze Chickens). A large hen stands protectively over her brood of four chicks, each modeled separately and arranged freely around her feet. Katori reduces the birds to broad, beautifully controlled volumes, the swelling breast and sweeping wings of the hen contrasting with the lively poses, delicate legs and individually modeled expressions of the chicks. Details of eyes, comb, feathers and feet are crisply articulated without disturbing the smooth sculptural surfaces, while a deep brown-black patination unifies the group. Particularly engaging is the relationship between the monumental, watchful mother and the chicks moving independently beneath and around her, giving the ensemble both tenderness and a quiet sense of humor. The group is accompanied by its original black lacquered wooden display stand. The large hen measures 30 x 22 x 22.5 cm (11-3\/4 x 8-5\/8 x 8-7\/8 inches), and the ensemble is in overall excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKatori Masahiko (1899–1988) was born in Tokyo the eldest son of the distinguished metal artist Katori Hozuma. He spent his childhood in present-day Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. From 1916 to 1920 he studied Western-style painting at the Taiheiyō Gakai Research Institute, before entering the Casting Department of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1920, where he studied under Tsuda Nobuo with a strong foundation in classical research. After graduating in 1925, he received a bronze medal at the Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts for Vase with Strawberry Arabesque Design. Katori made his debut at the 9th Teiten (1928) and went on to receive Special Prizes for three consecutive years (1930–1932), achieving jury-exempt status. After World War II, he devoted himself to the restoration and protection of cultural properties and, from 1950 onward, produced more than 150 Buddhist temple bells. Notable works include the Friendship Bell (San Diego, 1958), bells for Enryaku-ji (1963), Ikegami Honmon-ji (1964), and the Peace Bell at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (1967). He received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1953, was designated a Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property holder) in 1977, and became a member of the Japan Art Academy in 1988. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Katori Masahiko","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311250768119,"sku":"K1272","price":6000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-01-1916.27.05.jpg?v=1791967655"},{"product_id":"lnt-kama-japanese-tea-ceremony-kettle-ー高橋-敬典-萬代屋釜","title":"LNT Kama, Japanese Tea Ceremony Kettle ー高橋 敬典 “萬代屋釜”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA superb iron tea kettle with its beautifully rounded body covered in a remarkably fine, almost mineral-textured cast surface by Living National Treasure Takahashi Keiten enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Mozuya-gama. The title is significant. Mozuya-gama is an established historical form of tea kettle rather than a title invented by Keiten for this individual work. It belongs to the vocabulary of classical chanoyu kama forms, and Keiten is therefore working consciously within an inherited model while giving it his own treatment of proportion and surface. Bands encircle the shoulder and lower body, punctuated by small raised bosses, their restrained geometry emerging quietly from the richly mottled iron. A smooth dark lid provides a striking counterpoint to the granular surface of the kettle, emphasizing the subtle interplay of texture and form for which Keiten was celebrated. Based upon the traditional Mozuya-gama form, the work exemplifies Keiten's ability to draw upon the great historical vocabulary of Japanese tea kettles without merely reproducing it, reducing decoration to texture, rhythm and beautifully controlled proportion.” The kettle is 26.5 x 25 x 18 cm (10-1\/2 x 10 x 7-1\/4 inches) and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTakahashi Keiten (1920–2009) was born in Yamagata City in 1920 and became one of the foremost twentieth-century masters of the Japanese tea kettle. He succeeded to his family's iron-casting business in 1938 and thereafter devoted his career to the creation of chanoyu kama. In 1950 he studied under the distinguished kettle maker Nagano Tesshi I, through whom he deepened his understanding of the great historical traditions of Ashiya and Tenmyō casting, while developing a distinctly modern approach to form and surface. Takahashi first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951 and was accepted seven times before concentrating increasingly on the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition, receiving its Encouragement Prize in 1963 and the NHK President's Prize in 1976. Working with traditional casting techniques and wazuku, Japanese iron produced from iron sand, he was particularly admired for the quiet refinement of his forms and the subtle treatment of the iron itself, creating elegant surfaces and cast designs whose textures and patterns emerge naturally from the body of the kettle. His achievements brought numerous honors and important commissions: in 1961 he created a presentation kettle for Emperor Shōwa and in 1979 another for the Crown Prince. At a time when Yamagata iron casting remained little known beyond the region, Takahashi actively exhibited his work in Tokyo and elsewhere from the 1950s onward, playing an important role in bringing the long casting tradition of Yamagata to national attention. He received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class, in 1992, and in 1996 became the first resident of Yamagata Prefecture to be designated a Living National Treasure, recognized as holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property “Tea Ceremony Kettle”. Through a lifetime devoted to the kama, Takahashi brought together the austere beauty of historic Japanese iron casting with an inventive sensitivity to form, texture and pattern, establishing Yamagata casting firmly within the modern history of Japanese metalwork.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Takahashi Keiten","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311354544375,"sku":"K1724","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2513.14.59.jpg?v=1791967965"},{"product_id":"exceedingly-rare-lnt-kinrande-porcelain-vase-ー𠮷田-美統-釉裏金彩葉唐章文-花瓶","title":"Exceedingly Rare LNT Kinrande Porcelain Vase ー𠮷田 美統 “釉裏金彩葉唐章文 花瓶”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA seminal work by Living National Treasure Yoshita Minori enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yurikinsai Yo Karakusa-mon Kabin. Unlike conventional Kutani kinrande, in which gold decoration is applied over the glaze, yūri-kinsai places extremely thin pieces of gold leaf—and sometimes gold pigment—onto the already fired ceramic surface and then covers them with a transparent low-temperature glaze before firing again. The gold consequently appears beneath the glaze. This protects it physically but, more importantly aesthetically, gives the gold a softer and more atmospheric luminosity than exposed gilding. Here he has covered the entire surface3 with small dots of gold, over which scroll leafy golden vines burgeoning with silver berries. This all under a transparent yellow glaze. A masterpiece by this important artist. It is 27 cm (10-1\/2 inches) diameter, roughly the same height and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoshita Minori was born in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, in 1932 into the family of Kinzan Kiln, a Kutani workshop renowned for its traditional red-and-gold aka-e kinrande decoration. Born Yoshita Minoru, he began studying ceramics while still in high school and succeeded to the family kiln as its third-generation head in 1951. Building upon generations of experience with gold decoration, Yoshita devoted himself to the demanding technique of yūri-kinsai, in which exceptionally thin pieces of gold leaf are applied to the surface of a vessel before being covered with a transparent glaze and fired, suspending the decoration beneath the softly luminous surface. Through the use of gold leaf of differing thicknesses and richly colored grounds, he developed the technique into a remarkably subtle pictorial language, often depicting flowers and grasses in elegant, almost weightless compositions. Yoshita first exhibited at the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition in 1974 and went on to receive numerous honors, including the Prince Takamatsu Memorial Prize in 1992 and the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1995. In 2001 he was designated a Living National Treasure as holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property Yūri-kinsai and was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon; in 2006 he received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. His work represents both a continuation of the great Kutani tradition of gold decoration and its transformation into a distinctly modern ceramic art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yoshita Minori","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51326033494263,"sku":"MC1790","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-1012.17.36.jpg?v=1792116937"},{"product_id":"silver-inlay-bronze-vase-by-lnt-ー中川-衛-銀象嵌花器芽生え","title":"Silver Inlay Bronze Vase by LNT ー中川 衛 “銀象嵌花器芽生え”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exceptionally refined silver-inlaid bronze vase by Living National Treasure Nakagawa Mamoru, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gin Zōgan Kaki “Mebae” (Silver-Inlaid Flower Vase, “Sprouting”). The slender vessel rises from an elongated, gently swelling body into a narrow cylindrical neck, terminating in a sharply defined disc-shaped mouth. Its almost entirely unadorned surface is finished in a deep satin-black patina, against which a restrained pattern of silver inlay ascends the neck: long, exquisitely fine vertical lines ending in tiny paired leaves and emerging buds. The title Mebae—“sprouting” or “new growth”—is expressed with remarkable economy, the silver lines suggesting tender shoots rising upward from the dark body of the vessel. The contrast between the softly swelling silhouette, severe architectural neck and minute flashes of silver is characteristic of Nakagawa's ability to bring the traditional technique of Kaga zōgan into an unmistakably modern vocabulary. It measures 6 cm (2-3\/8 inches) in diameter and 25 cm (9-7\/8 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNakagawa Mamoru (born 1947) is a celebrated Japanese craftsman and master metalworker recognized as an Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) for the art of decorative metal inlay. Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Nakagawa initially studied design at Kanazawa College of Art, graduating in 1971 before entering the world as a designer with Matsushita Electric Works. In an unusual career shift, he returned to Kanazawa several years later and, at the age of twenty-seven, encountered the refined beauty of Kaga zōgan metal inlay, an experience that led him to abandon design entirely and pursue metalwork despite having no prior training in the field. In 1974 he became a disciple of Takahashi Kaishū, marking the beginning of his career as a craft artist. Nakagawa first received acceptance into the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1979, and in 1996 was appointed professor in the crafts department of his alma mater, Kanazawa College of Art, where he devoted himself to educating younger generations of artists. In 2004 he was designated a Living National Treasure, later receiving the Chunichi Culture Award in 2006, the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2009, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Middle Ribbon, in 2018.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nakagawa Mamoru","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51326071472375,"sku":"K1431","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-2014.20.55.jpg?v=1792117302"},{"product_id":"bamboo-art-basket-named-nagisa-by-lnt-ー五代-早川-尚古齋-修平-渚","title":"Bamboo Art Basket named Nagisa by LNT ー五代 早川 尚古齋 (修平) “渚”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn expressive bamboo flower basket by Living National Treasure Hayakawa Shōkōsai V, enclosed in the original signed wooden box and poetically named Nagisa (Water’s Edge). Broad strips of pale bamboo are woven in a remarkably free, open lattice around a cylindrical bamboo flower container, crossing and overlapping in seemingly spontaneous directions while remaining firmly controlled within the basket's swelling form. A heavy spirally wrapped rim rises steeply at the rear before sweeping downward across the front, giving the vessel an asymmetrical profile and a strong sense of movement. The title Nagisa is particularly evocative: the irregular network of bamboo surrounding the central container recalls the woven bamboo cages traditionally filled with stones and placed along riverbanks and shorelines to resist the movement of water, while the open construction suggests water and light passing freely through it. The contrast between the disciplined rim and the almost improvisational weave below demonstrates Shōkōsai's ability to draw sculptural expression from the structural language of traditional bamboo work. Signed on the basket, it measures 19 x 19.5 x 28 cm (7-1\/2 x 7-5\/8 x 11 inches) and is in excellent condition. The removable bamboo flower container has developed a longitudinal age crack.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHayakawa Shōkōsai V (1932–2011) was born in Osaka as the eldest son of the fourth-generation Hayakawa Shōkōsai and later relocated to Kyoto, carrying forward one of Japan’s most distinguished bamboo-art lineages. His given name was Shūhei, and over the course of his career he used a number of seals and art names, including Shōkō, Shōkōsai, “Fifth-Generation Bamboo Craftsman Shōkōsai,” and Shū. In 1951 he began formal training under his father and initially worked under the names Shōha and Shōkō. He made his public debut as a bamboo artist in 1965 with his first solo exhibition at Osaka Mitsukoshi under the name Hayakawa Shōkō, an event that proved pivotal: through it he formed a relationship with the kettle maker Kakutani Ikkei, a Living National Treasure, who recognized his talent and encouraged his participation in the exhibitions of the Japan Traditional Crafts Association from the following year. From his first submission and acceptance in 1966, Hayakawa was selected every year thereafter, becoming a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1968 and receiving the Association’s Encouragement Prize at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1976. Following his father’s death in 1977, he formally succeeded to the name of the fifth-generation Shōkōsai. Deeply grounded in the Hayakawa family tradition, he skillfully alternated between inherited plaiting (ami) and assembling (kumi) techniques, while also developing an original fifth-generation method known as kirikomi sukashi monyō, in which wide bamboo strips are partially cut to create openwork patterns; this technical breadth and inventive range earned him wide acclaim. Alongside his domestic career, he actively introduced Japanese bamboo art abroad, holding solo exhibitions and workshops in the United States and presenting exhibitions in Europe, including at the British Museum. In recognition of his achievements, he was designated a Holder of the Kyoto Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property for Bamboo Craft in 1992, received the Excellence Prize (Holder’s Award) at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1996, the Kyoto Prefectural Culture Award for Meritorious Service in 2002, and in 2003 was named a Holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property “Bamboo Craft,” becoming a Living National Treasure. Hayakawa Shōkōsai V passed away on December 7, 2011, at the age of 79, leaving behind a body of work that balances tradition and innovation through techniques ranging from exquisitely precise weaving to freely expressive coarse structures, and that brings forth the inherent vitality of bamboo in works that are at once pure, dignified, and powerfully substantial, firmly establishing a contemporary expression within a classical lineage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hayakawa Shokosai","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51326156865783,"sku":"K1115","price":680.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-12-1602.20.29.jpg?v=1792118268"},{"product_id":"huge-bizen-sculptural-vase-by-lnt-ー伊勢崎-淳-備前-黒四方削壺","title":"Huge Bizen Sculptural Vase by LNT ー伊勢崎 淳 “備前 黒四方削壺”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn extraordinary sculptural vessel by Living National Treasure Isezaki Jun enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Bizen Kuro Shihōsogi Tsubo (Black Bizen Four-Sided Carved Vessel). Its tall, imposing rectangular form rises from a narrow base to an open, irregularly cut mouth. The four faces are divided by boldly incised diagonal and horizontal lines, creating an interplay of geometric planes that shifts continuously as the work is viewed from different angles. Deep triangular openings cut through the upper walls, while an angular opening at the base introduces a striking sense of architectural space, transforming the vessel into a composition of solid mass and carefully articulated voids. The surface is enveloped in a lustrous black firing finish, varying from deep charcoal to glossy, almost lacquer-like passages, with areas of exposed reddish-brown clay and subtle flashes of blue and silver. The rough, blistered textures and accumulated deposits contrast with the sharply defined edges and incised lines, revealing the expressive possibilities of clay transformed by intense heat. These variations lend an almost geological character to the surface, as though the vessel had been shaped as much by the forces of nature as by the hand of the artist. It measures 14.5 x 17 x 52 cm (5-5\/3 x 6-5\/8 x 20-1\/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsezaki Jun has played a central role in expanding the expressive vocabulary of Bizen pottery, moving beyond the traditional forms of utilitarian vessels to explore the sculptural potential of unglazed stoneware. In this work, the ancient relationship between earth and fire is brought into dialogue with a distinctly contemporary sensibility, its commanding verticality, angular construction, and dramatic openings suggesting an abstract architectural monument. Despite its powerful sculptural presence, the open mouth preserves its identity as a vessel, maintaining a subtle connection to the functional origins of Bizen ceramics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDue to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsezaki Jun was born the second son to the prominent Bizen family of Isezaki Yozan. With his older brother Mitsuru he studied the plastic arts under the fierce tutelage of his father. He has displayed consistently at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Japanese Crafts Exhibition) since 1961 and was recipient of the coveted Kaneshige Toyo prize. It was Jun who took up the work of Kaneshige Toyo upon his death, continuing to revitalize and innovate, combining functional forms and modern sculptural shapes. He was the teacher of a host of important artists including Kakurezaki Ryuichi, Wakimoto Hiroyuki and American artists Donna Gilliss among dozens of others. He was named a Living National Treasure (Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Intangible cultural property) in 2004.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Isezaki Jun","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51328273088759,"sku":"MC1814","price":6000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-10-0710.38.53.jpg?v=1792129660"},{"product_id":"kiseto-platter-by-lnt-ー加藤-孝造-黄瀬戸-長方皿","title":"Kiseto Platter by LNT ー加藤 孝造 “黄瀬戸 長方皿”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA large Kiseto rectangular platter by Living National Treasure Katō Kōzō, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kiseto Chōhōzara. The broad slab-built form rises dramatically toward its four corners, creating a shallow, gently undulating surface covered in a warm yellow-ochre glaze mottled with cream, amber and subtle firing variations. Around the perimeter, vigorous iron-painted lines overlap in loose crosshatched passages, their almost calligraphic spontaneity contrasting with the strong geometry of the vessel. Further iron and copper-green accents appear sparingly across the interior, while the underside is left comparatively raw, revealing the coarse clay body and rich traces of the firing. Both painterly and architectural, the platter reflects Kōzō's deep engagement with Momoyama-period Mino ceramics while retaining the forceful immediacy characteristic of his own work. It measures 36 x 27.5 x 7.8 cm (14-1\/8 x 10-7\/8 x 3-1\/8 inches) and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKato Kozo (1935–2023) was a revered Japanese ceramic artist, designated in 2010 as a Living National Treasure for his mastery of the traditional Setoguro (black Seto) ceramic technique. Born in Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture, he initially aspired to be a painter—achieving the distinction of being the youngest entrant in the Nitten exhibition—but ultimately followed the ceramic path under the mentorship of Kato Kobei and the legendary Arakawa Toyozo. Over decades, Kato developed his own signature style, often referred to as “Kōzō Shino” or “Kōzō kuro” reviving and refining classic Mino‐Momoyama aesthetics such as Shino, Setoguro, and iron-glazed works. He received numerous awards—including top honors at national exhibitions like the Japan Traditional Crafts and Tokai Traditional Crafts Exhibitions—and served in leadership roles with organizations such as the Japan Kōgei Association and Mino Ceramics Association. In addition to his artistic practice, Kato was dedicated to mentorship and preserving ceramic traditions; he founded an atelier called “Fūjuku” to nurture new generations of ceramic artists. Widely exhibited both domestically and abroad, like his mentor Kozo was named a Living National Treasure in 2010, a tribute to a life spent reviving and defending the Mino traditions. Work by him is held in the National Museums of Modern Art, both Tokyo and Kyoto, Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu, the Mizunami Ceramic Museum as well as the Victoria \u0026amp; Albert Museum among others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kato Kozo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51328318374135,"sku":"MC1457","price":1150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-09-0705.14.19_2.jpg?v=1792130008"},{"product_id":"lnt-iron-kettle-pines-along-the-shore-ー高橋-敬典-浜松地紋-真形釜","title":"LNT Iron Kettle, Pines along the Shore ー高橋 敬典 “浜松地紋 真形釜”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elegant iron Kettle for use in the Japanese Maccha Tea Ceremony by Living National Treasure Takahashi Keiten enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hamamatsu Jimmo Shinnari-gama (Iron Tea Kettle with Pine Trees along the Shore). Its beautifully rounded body is decorated with a subtle design of pine trees growing along a shoreline cast in low relief upon the finely textured iron surface, the slender trunks and sweeping branches emerge almost imperceptibly from the dark, softly mottled ground, suggesting a windswept coastal landscape. A narrow band of stippled texture encircles the lower body, while the gently sloping shoulders rise toward a relatively small opening fitted with a beautifully patinated bronze lid, its sculptural knob fashioned as a flower bud. The restrained composition, contrasting textures, and carefully balanced proportions exemplify Keiten's mastery of traditional Japanese iron casting. The work is illustrated as No. 47 in Kamashi Takahashi Keiten Jisen Sakuhinshū (Selected Works of Kettle Master Takahashi Keiten). It is 24.5 x 25 x 21 cm (9.6 x 9.8 x 8.3 inches) and is in perfect condition. The accompanying outer cardboard box bears a date of November 1992, four years before Keiten's designation as a Living National Treasure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shinnari-gama is considered one of the most fundamental forms of Japanese tea kettle, its origins traditionally traced to the Ashiya casting tradition of Chikuzen during the early Kamakura period (1185–1333). Developed for heating water over a portable brazier, its characteristic form combines a rounded body, gently sloping shoulders, a slightly inward-curving mouth, and a projecting flange around the lower body. Over the centuries, the shinnari became an enduring model for kettle makers, its deceptively simple form offering considerable scope for refinement of proportion and surface.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTakahashi Keiten (1920–2009) was born in Yamagata City in 1920 and became one of the foremost twentieth-century masters of the Japanese tea kettle. He succeeded to his family's iron-casting business in 1938 and thereafter devoted his career to the creation of chanoyu kama. In 1950 he studied under the distinguished kettle maker Nagano Tesshi I, through whom he deepened his understanding of the great historical traditions of Ashiya and Tenmyō casting, while developing a distinctly modern approach to form and surface. Takahashi first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951 and was accepted seven times before concentrating increasingly on the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition, receiving its Encouragement Prize in 1963 and the NHK President's Prize in 1976. Working with traditional casting techniques and wazuku, Japanese iron produced from iron sand, he was particularly admired for the quiet refinement of his forms and the subtle treatment of the iron itself, creating elegant surfaces and cast designs whose textures and patterns emerge naturally from the body of the kettle. His achievements brought numerous honors and important commissions: in 1961 he created a presentation kettle for Emperor Shōwa and in 1979 another for the Crown Prince. At a time when Yamagata iron casting remained little known beyond the region, Takahashi actively exhibited his work in Tokyo and elsewhere from the 1950s onward, playing an important role in bringing the long casting tradition of Yamagata to national attention. He received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class, in 1992, and in 1996 became the first resident of Yamagata Prefecture to be designated a Living National Treasure, recognized as holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property “Tea Ceremony Kettle”. Through a lifetime devoted to the kama, Takahashi brought together the austere beauty of historic Japanese iron casting with an inventive sensitivity to form, texture and pattern, establishing Yamagata casting firmly within the modern history of Japanese metalwork.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Takahashi Keiten","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51348879769847,"sku":"K1746","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-10-1412.05.03.jpg?v=1792290134"},{"product_id":"lnt-horai-seiji-chawan-tea-bowl-ー清水-卯一-蓬莱青瓷茶盌","title":"LNT Horai Seiji Chawan Tea Bowl ー清水 卯一 “蓬莱青瓷茶盌”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA celadon tea bowl by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Horai Seiji Chawan from his later period in Shiga prefecture at the foot of Mount Horai. The classic wangata form rises from a compact dark foot into a deep, generously rounded bowl, its restrained silhouette allowing the remarkable glaze to dominate. Over the dark clay body, a pale blue-green celadon has developed a dense crystalline pattern of fissures, creating overlapping translucent islands that spread across both the exterior and interior like frost or fractured ice. Where the glaze thins toward the gently irregular rim, the darker body beneath lends the edge a subtle grey definition, while the exposed foot provides a strong earthen counterpoint to the luminous surface. Characteristic of Shimizu's Horai-period celadon, the beauty lies less in uniformity than in the interaction of clay, glaze and firing, transforming an exceptionally simple form into a richly textured surface. It measures 13.5 cm (5-1\/2 inches) in diameter, 8 cm (just over 3 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51349590802679,"sku":"MC1827","price":850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2511.53.56.jpg?v=1792292184"},{"product_id":"lnt-dachibin-vessel-ー金城-次郎-抱瓶","title":"LNT Dachibin Vessel ー金城 次郎 “抱瓶”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn unusually sculptural dachibin by Okinawan Living National Treasure Kinjo Jirō, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled simply Dachibin. Traditionally made as a portable vessel for sake or water, its flattened, gently curved body was designed to rest comfortably against the body when carried. Kinjo transforms this distinctive Okinawan form with vigorous fish and shrimp decoration, their sweeping fins, segmented bodies and curling forms defined through kaki-otoshi incising and enriched with iron-brown and blue-green glaze. The asymmetrical arrangement follows the curvature of the vessel particularly well, while the dark-glazed central mouth, small projecting spout and pierced side lugs give the compact form an almost architectural character. Areas where the warm red clay emerges through the softly crackled olive-grey glaze add further depth and vitality to the surface. It measures 25 x 12 x 17 cm (10 x 4-3\/4 x 6-3\/4 inches) and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKinjo Jirō (1912–2004) was a master of Okinawan Tsuboya ware and the first ceramic artist from the Ryukyu Islands to be designated a Living National Treasure in 1985. Born in Naha, he revitalized the Tsuboya tradition, a ceramic lineage shaped by both Chinese and Japanese influences, and became renowned for his bold, freehand underglaze brushwork in iron-oxide slip beneath translucent glaze. His vessels, often adorned with motifs of fish, birds, and flowers, embody a rustic vitality and spirited expressiveness aligned with the ideals of the Mingei (folk craft) movement. Kinjo’s work preserved the distinct identity of Okinawan pottery while establishing its recognition within the wider sphere of Japanese ceramics. Today his works are represented in major collections, including the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum (Nihon Mingeikan), and the British Museum, ensuring his enduring legacy within both Japanese and international ceramic history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kinjo Jiro","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51365349851383,"sku":"MC1691","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-06-1711.40.04.jpg?v=1792463961"},{"product_id":"lnt-tri-colored-pr-tsubo-koro-incense-burner-ー加藤-卓男-正倉院復元-三彩壺-海彦山彦","title":"LNT Tri-Colored Pr. Tsubo, Koro, incense burner ー加藤 卓男 “正倉院復元 三彩壺「海彦山彦」\"","description":"\u003cp\u003eA pair of small tsubo with lids made to act as either a tea container or a koro incense burner by Living National Treasure Kato Takuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shosoin Fukugen Sansai-Tsubo Umibiko Yamabiko. The title indicates these are based on samples held in the 8th century collection of the Shosoin, the Imperial storehouses in Nara). One lid is black lacquered, simple and austere, the other is a pierced silver lid with overlapping radish designs.  The vessels share the same compact swelling form and ivory ground, one animated by freely flowing emerald green and the other by deep cobalt blue. Small amber-glazed applied motifs punctuate each body, introducing a warm accent against the cool fields of color. The pair is completed with contrasting interchangeable-style covers: one a simple polished black lacquer lid, the other an elaborate pierced silver cover decorated with a finely worked phoenix amid scrolling forms. The combination allows the vessels to function as small covered containers or as incense burners, while the contrasting lids move them between quiet austerity and considerable richness. Each bears Kato's impressed mark beneath. They measure approximately 8.5 cm (3-3\/8 inches) in diameter and 7 cm (2-3\/4 inches) tall and are in perfect condition. The wooden box bears the official seal used after being designated a Living National Treasure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKato Takuo (1917-2005), I am sure, requires no introduction. He was born in Tajimi, center of the Mino ceramic tradition the son of Kato Kobei. Trained in ceramics at the Tajimi Technical School as well as under his father. He entered military service in 1938, and served until wars end. He then contracted leukemia, and spent another ten years fighting for his life. He debuted at the Nitten National Exhibition in 1956, and was soon accepted and consistently displayed at any number of National and International Exhibitions. In 1980 he was commissioned by the Imperial Household Agency to produce a restoration of the Shosoin Three Color Glaze. In 1991 he received the JCS (Japan Ceramic Society) prize, one of the most important honors for a potter. He was named a Living National Treasure in 1995 for his work in Sansai glazes.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kato Takuo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51382841573623,"sku":"MC1758","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-08-1017.00.02.jpg?v=1792649145"},{"product_id":"lnt-sakuragawa-iron-kettle-ー高橋-敬典-桜川-透木釜","title":"LNT Sakuragawa Iron Kettle ー高橋 敬典 “桜川 透木釜”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautifully proportioned iron Kettle for use in the Japanese Maccha Tea Ceremony by Living National Treasure Takahashi Keiten enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Sakuragawa sukigi-gama (Iron Tea Kettle with Cherry Blossom River Design). The broad, gently rounded body is encircled by an elegant design punctuated with small cherry blossoms. Finely incised intersecting lines create a rhythmic pattern of triangles and diamonds across the sloping shoulders, their crisp geometry contrasting with the subtly granular texture of the iron, while a broad, slightly undulating flange extends outward from the body, giving the kettle a distinctive silhouette. Two iron ring handles are attached at the shoulders, and a smooth black lid with a sculptural flower-bud finial completes the composition. The kettle is illustrated as No. 61 in Kamashi Takahashi Keiten Jisen Sakuhinshū (Selected Works of Kettle Master Takahashi Keiten), documenting the work within his distinguished career. It is 32 cm (12-1\/2 inches) diameter, 22 cm (9 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sukigi-gama is a traditional form of tea kettle distinguished by its broad projecting flange, which allows it to rest upon small wooden supports known as sukigi, placed between the kettle and the supporting edge of the hearth or brazier. This arrangement provides the necessary space for air circulation while supporting the kettle without the use of a conventional iron trivet. The form is particularly associated with the changing seasons of the tea ceremony, when the selection of utensils reflects subtle transitions in the natural world.\u003cbr\u003eThe title Sakuragawa introduces an evocative reference to cherry blossoms and flowing water, a familiar poetic theme in Japanese art and literature. Rather than depicting a literal landscape, Keiten expresses the motif through a restrained arrangement of geometric lines and scattered blossoms, allowing the decoration to become an integral part of the iron surface. The result is a work of remarkable compositional balance, combining the disciplined geometry of traditional metal casting with the quiet seasonal sensibility of chanoyu.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTakahashi Keiten (1920–2009) was born in Yamagata City in 1920 and became one of the foremost twentieth-century masters of the Japanese tea kettle. He succeeded to his family's iron-casting business in 1938 and thereafter devoted his career to the creation of chanoyu kama. In 1950 he studied under the distinguished kettle maker Nagano Tesshi I, through whom he deepened his understanding of the great historical traditions of Ashiya and Tenmyō casting, while developing a distinctly modern approach to form and surface. Takahashi first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951 and was accepted seven times before concentrating increasingly on the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition, receiving its Encouragement Prize in 1963 and the NHK President's Prize in 1976. Working with traditional casting techniques and wazuku, Japanese iron produced from iron sand, he was particularly admired for the quiet refinement of his forms and the subtle treatment of the iron itself, creating elegant surfaces and cast designs whose textures and patterns emerge naturally from the body of the kettle. His achievements brought numerous honors and important commissions: in 1961 he created a presentation kettle for Emperor Shōwa and in 1979 another for the Crown Prince. At a time when Yamagata iron casting remained little known beyond the region, Takahashi actively exhibited his work in Tokyo and elsewhere from the 1950s onward, playing an important role in bringing the long casting tradition of Yamagata to national attention. He received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class, in 1992, and in 1996 became the first resident of Yamagata Prefecture to be designated a Living National Treasure, recognized as holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property “Tea Ceremony Kettle”. Through a lifetime devoted to the kama, Takahashi brought together the austere beauty of historic Japanese iron casting with an inventive sensitivity to form, texture and pattern, establishing Yamagata casting firmly within the modern history of Japanese metalwork.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Takahashi Keiten","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51382876274935,"sku":"K1747","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-10-1411.53.09.jpg?v=1792649618"},{"product_id":"lnt-carved-lacquer-tray-ー音丸-耕堂-彫漆華文-菓子盆","title":"LNT Carved Lacquer Tray ー音丸 耕堂 “彫漆華文 菓子盆”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA finely worked carved lacquer confectionery tray by Living National Treasure Otomaru Kōdō, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chōshitsu Kamon Kashibon (Carved Lacquer Floral-Pattern Confectionery Tray), together with a fitted protective pouch and outer box. Against a deep blue ground, rows of four-petaled blossoms form a remarkably ordered geometric pattern, punctuated by delicate gold star-like motifs. Each pale flower is individually carved through successive layers of lacquer, the concentric strata visible within the petals creating subtle variations of cream and ivory, while touches of reddish brown and black articulate their centers. Toward the center of the composition several blossoms become increasingly complex, their layered markings expanding into concentric rings and providing a quiet focal point within the otherwise repeating design. The precision of the pattern is softened by the minute variations inherent in carving each element by hand, giving the surface a gentle rhythm despite its strict geometry. The shallow square form rises slightly toward its rounded black-lacquered edges, with a plain black reverse and raised square foot. It measures 28 x 28 x 2.8 cm (11 x 11 x 1-1\/8 inches) and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtomaru Kodo (1898-1987) was a distinguished Japanese lacquer artist renowned for his mastery of choshitsu (carved lacquer) techniques. Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, he began his apprenticeship under Ishii Keido in 1910 and, from 1914, independently studied the works of Tamakaji Zokoku, a pioneer of Sanuki lacquer art. In 1921, Otomaru co-founded the art group Kofukai with metalcraft artist Osuga Takashi and others, actively participating in exhibitions. His work gained significant recognition in 1932 when he was first accepted into the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten), leading to regular displays in subsequent exhibitions. In 1942, his carved-lacquer piece, \"Cosmetic box with moon-flower design,\" received a special award at the 5th New Ministry of Education Art Exhibition; this work is now part of the Takamatsu Art Museum's collection. Otomaru's innovative use of rich colors set his work apart. While traditional lacquerware primarily utilized vermillion, black, yellow, green, and brown, he introduced new pigments to achieve a broader spectrum of hues, enhancing the expressiveness of his designs. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese crafts, Otomaru was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder (Living National Treasure) in 1955, specifically in the carved-lacquer division. That same year, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Japan Kōgei Association, further influencing the development of traditional Japanese crafts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Otomaru Kodo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51390647632119,"sku":"K1630","price":4800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-0912.24.57.jpg?v=1792746707"},{"product_id":"salt-glazed-tokkuri-by-lnt-ー島岡-達三-塩釉徳利","title":"Salt Glazed Tokkuri by LNT ー島岡 達三 “塩釉徳利”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking salt-glazed sake flask by Living National Treasure Shimaoka Tatsuzō, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Shio-yū Tokkuri. The generously rounded body rises through sloping shoulders to a narrow neck and gently flared mouth, its surface animated by Shimaoka's characteristic rope-impressed decoration. Dark cobalt-blue glaze settles into the diagonal impressions beneath a lustrous salt glaze, creating a rhythmic pattern of blue-black lines against a softly mottled grey-green ground. Above and below, the decoration gives way to warm ochre and brown tones, the speckled glaze emphasizing the earthy character of the clay and providing a quiet counterpoint to the vivid blue of the body. The natural variations of the salt firing—from glassy passages to granular, almost stone-like surfaces—give the vessel unusual depth and vitality. Shimaoka's impressed mark appears near the foot. It measures 16 cm (6-1\/4 inches) tall and is in excellent condition, complete with its original stamped wrapping cloth and shiori.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimaoka Tatsuzo (1919-2007) was born in Tokyo and enrolled in the Tokyo Kogei Daigaku Ceramics division in 1939. The following year he would meet Mashiko Mingei potter Hamada Shoji, and the course of his life was thought set, graduating in 1941. However he was drafted in 1942, and sent to Burma where he would remain until repatriation after the cessation of hostilities. In 1946 Tatsuzo apprenticed under Hamada who encouraged him to find his own voice, which he did when in 1950 took part in research into ancient Jomon potteries with Shirasaki Shunji, which would have a profound influence on his style. Working with Jomon rope patterns, Tatsuzo set out to create a style unique to himself, establishing his own kiln in 1954. Widely exhibited, awarded and influential in his lifetime, he received the Japan Ceramic Society Gold award in 1994, one of the highest honors for a Japanese ceramic artist, and was designated a Living National Treasure (Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Ningenkokuho) in 1996 culminating with receiving the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimaoka Tatsuzo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51401692709111,"sku":"MC561","price":500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-08-1415.11.46.jpg?v=1792913917"},{"product_id":"lnt-tokkuri-and-guinomi-ー𠮷田-美統-金蘭手花唐草文徳利-ぐい吞","title":"LNT Tokkuri and Guinomi ー𠮷田 美統 “金蘭手花唐草文徳利”、“ぐい吞”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA matching sake set decorated with florals in red and gold by Living National Treasure Yoshita Minori enclosed in their original signed wooden boxes titled Kinrande Hana Karakusa Mon Tokkuri and Guinomi respectively. The slightly flaring cup is covered outside in red with applied genuine gold flowering vines. The flask is decorated with the same red in swirling patterns alternating with sweeping white which features white scrolling vines in texture. The Tokkuri is 8 cm (over 3 inches) diameter, 16.5 cm (6-1\/2 inches) tall. The Guinomi is 6.5 cm (2-1\/2 inches) diameter, 5 cm (2 inches) tall and both are in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoshita Minori was born in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, in 1932 into the family of Kinzan Kiln, a Kutani workshop renowned for its traditional red-and-gold aka-e kinrande decoration. Born Yoshita Minoru, he began studying ceramics while still in high school and succeeded to the family kiln as its third-generation head in 1951. Building upon generations of experience with gold decoration, Yoshita devoted himself to the demanding technique of yūri-kinsai, in which exceptionally thin pieces of gold leaf are applied to the surface of a vessel before being covered with a transparent glaze and fired, suspending the decoration beneath the softly luminous surface. Through the use of gold leaf of differing thicknesses and richly colored grounds, he developed the technique into a remarkably subtle pictorial language, often depicting flowers and grasses in elegant, almost weightless compositions. Yoshita first exhibited at the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition in 1974 and went on to receive numerous honors, including the Prince Takamatsu Memorial Prize in 1992 and the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1995. In 2001 he was designated a Living National Treasure as holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property Yūri-kinsai and was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon; in 2006 he received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. His work represents both a continuation of the great Kutani tradition of gold decoration and its transformation into a distinctly modern ceramic art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yoshita Minori","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51423099388151,"sku":"MC1824","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-2316.59.04.jpg?v=1793066301"},{"product_id":"rare-lnt-seto-guro-chawan-tea-bowl-ー加藤-卓男-瀬戸黒茶盌","title":"Rare LNT Seto Guro Chawan Tea Bowl ー加藤 卓男 “瀬戸黒茶盌”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA powerful black tea bowl by Living National Treasure Kato Takuo, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Seto Guro Chawan. Broad and nearly cylindrical in form, the bowl rises to an irregular, gently undulating rim, retaining the subtle throwing lines and purposeful asymmetry of its making. A deep lustrous black glaze envelops both interior and exterior, varying from softly reflective passages to areas of dense, almost matte black, while minute openings and irregularities in the glaze reveal flashes of the warm clay beneath. Particularly effective along the lip, these small breaks form a fine intermittent line of ochre against the black, emphasizing the bowl's uneven profile. The restrained form and richly varied surface give the Chawan an unusually direct, elemental character, quite distinct from Kato's celebrated polychrome work. His impressed mark appears beside the unglazed foot. It measures 13.5 cm (5-1\/4 inches) in diameter and 8.8 cm (3-1\/2 inches) tall and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKato Takuo (1917-2005), I am sure, requires no introduction. He was born in Tajimi, center of the Mino ceramic tradition the son of Kato Kobei. Trained in ceramics at the Tajimi Technical School as well as under his father. He entered military service in 1938, and served until wars end. He then contracted leukemia, and spent another ten years fighting for his life. He debuted at the Nitten National Exhibition in 1956, and was soon accepted and consistently displayed at any number of National and International Exhibitions. In 1980 he was commissioned by the Imperial Household Agency to produce a restoration of the Shosoin Three Color Glaze. In 1991 he received the JCS (Japan Ceramic Society) prize, one of the most important honors for a potter. He was named a Living National Treasure in 1995 for his work in Sansai glazes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kato Takuo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51423118065911,"sku":"MC1812","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-0715.51.17.jpg?v=1793067159"},{"product_id":"trumpeting-bronze-vase-by-lnt-ー香取-正彦-代長-花入","title":"Trumpeting bronze vase by LNT ー香取 正彦 “代長 花入”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elegant bronze vase by Living National Treasure Katori Masahiko, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yonaga Hanaire. The vessel is formed as a single continuous curve, spreading broadly at the foot before drawing inward to an exceptionally slender waist and opening dramatically into a wide trumpet-shaped mouth. Its austere form is heightened by the deep black-brown patination, which appears almost lacquer-like at first glance but reveals subtle reddish bronze tones beneath the surface and along the interior. Entirely without decoration, the vase depends upon proportion, silhouette and the changing reflection of light across its gently swelling walls, giving the tall, narrow form an unusual sense of both tension and grace. Katori's signature is incised within the foot ring. It measures 13 cm (5-1\/8 inches) in diameter and 29.5 cm (11-5\/8 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKatori Masahiko (1899-1988) was born in Tokyo the eldest son of the distinguished metal artist Katori Hozuma. He spent his childhood in present-day Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. From 1916 to 1920 he studied Western-style painting at the Taiheiyō Gakai Research Institute, before entering the Casting Department of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1920, where he studied under Tsuda Nobuo with a strong foundation in classical research. After graduating in 1925, he received a bronze medal at the Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts for Vase with Strawberry Arabesque Design. Katori made his debut at the 9th Teiten (1928) and went on to receive Special Prizes for three consecutive years (1930–1932), achieving jury-exempt status. After World War II, he devoted himself to the restoration and protection of cultural properties and, from 1950 onward, produced more than 150 Buddhist temple bells. Notable works include the Friendship Bell (San Diego, 1958), bells for Enryaku-ji (1963), Ikegami Honmon-ji (1964), and the Peace Bell at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (1967). He received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1953, was designated a Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property holder) in 1977, and became a member of the Japan Art Academy in 1988. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Katori Masahiko","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51423443812599,"sku":"K1157","price":1260.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-3013.26.00.jpg?v=1793076445"},{"product_id":"carved-lacquer-tea-container-by-lnt-ー音丸-耕堂-堆漆四つ葉文茶入","title":"Carved Lacquer Tea Container by LNT ー音丸 耕堂 “堆漆四つ葉文茶入”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exceptionally refined carved-lacquer tea container by Living National Treasure Otomaru Kōdō, accompanied by its silk shifuku pouch and original signed wooden box, itself enclosed within a fitted red-lacquered nijū-bako outer box. The softly squared vessel is covered in warm ivory lacquer and decorated with repeating four-leaf motifs cut through numerous laminated layers of dark brown and pale lacquer, the concentric lines revealed by the carving giving each leaf an extraordinary sense of depth. Small gold crosses articulate the centers of the leaves, while the fitted amber-brown lid carries a single circular blossom carved in the same layered technique. The restraint of the palette belies the remarkable complexity of the tsuishitsu technique, in which accumulated layers of differently colored lacquer become the material of the decoration itself. Both intimate and technically virtuosic, the piece exemplifies Otomaru's transformation of traditional carved lacquer into a distinctly modern form. It measures 9.5 x 9.5 x 5.2 cm (3-3\/4 x 3-3\/4 x 2 inches) and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtomaru Kodo (1898–1987) was a distinguished Japanese lacquer artist renowned for his mastery of choshitsu (carved lacquer) techniques. Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, he began his apprenticeship under Ishii Keido in 1910 and, from 1914, independently studied the works of Tamakaji Zokoku, a pioneer of Sanuki lacquer art. In 1921, Otomaru co-founded the art group Kofukai with metalcraft artist Osuga Takashi and others, actively participating in exhibitions. His work gained significant recognition in 1932 when he was first accepted into the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten), leading to regular displays in subsequent exhibitions. In 1942, his carved-lacquer piece, \"Cosmetic box with moon-flower design,\" received a special award at the 5th New Ministry of Education Art Exhibition; this work is now part of the Takamatsu Art Museum's collection. Otomaru's innovative use of rich colors set his work apart. While traditional lacquerware primarily utilized vermillion, black, yellow, green, and brown, he introduced new pigments to achieve a broader spectrum of hues, enhancing the expressiveness of his designs. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese crafts, Otomaru was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder (Living National Treasure) in 1955, specifically in the carved-lacquer division. That same year, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Japan Kōgei Association, further influencing the development of traditional Japanese crafts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Otomaru Kodo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51622625444087,"sku":"K1309","price":5400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-03-1613.52.21.jpg?v=1793327046"},{"product_id":"lnt-chataku-suzu-metal-tea-cup-coasters-ー長野-垤志-花文-錫茶托-1","title":"LNT Chataku Suzu (Metal) Tea Cup Coasters ー長野 垤志 “花文 錫茶托”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA set of five cast pewter chataku Tea cup coasters for Sencha by Living National Treasure Nagano Tetsushi I, enclosed in the original signed wooden box and dated Shōwa 38 (1963), the same year in which Nagano was designated a Living National Treasure. Each shallow saucer is individually decorated with a different botanical design worked in low relief, including pine, bamboo, flowering and fruiting branches, their asymmetrical compositions sweeping gracefully around the recessed well for the tea cup. The darkened pewter surface has a softly mottled, almost charcoal-like quality, while the raised edges and relief decoration catch the light to reveal the subtle modeling of the metal. Particularly appealing is the variation from one saucer to the next, making the five pieces a related group rather than a mechanically repeated set. Each is signed Tetsushi saku beneath. They measure 12 cm (4-3\/4 inches) in diameter each and are in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNagano Tetsushi (1900-1977) was born in Aichi Prefecture and initially aspired to become a painter, moving to Tokyo in 1917. Following the Great Kantō Earthquake, however, he turned his focus to the crafts and began studying metal casting under the metal artist Yamamoto Azumi. In 1928, he joined the Nanokakai (Seven-Day Society) led by Katori Hidemasa, and in 1931 he received instruction in the production of tea ceremony kettles (chanoyu-gama) from the Nagoya-based kettle maker Itō Kazumasa. In 1933, he was awarded a Special Prize at the National Teiten Imperial Art Exhibition. In 1963, he was designated a Living National Treasure for his mastery of tea kettle production techniques. He conducted extensive research into classical and celebrated forms such as Ashiya kettles and Tenmyō kettles, producing refined reproductions based on these historical models. At the same time, he developed innovative designs by reinterpreting traditional forms through a modern sensibility. His achievement in successfully reviving the technically demanding Wazuku kettle—long considered extremely difficult to produce—was especially highly acclaimed. In addition to tea kettles, Nagano also created distinguished cast works such as flower vases and jars in bronze and silver. Work by him is held in the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto as well as the National Crafts Museum, part of the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nagano Tetsushi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51622639501559,"sku":"K993B","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-09-2506.37.49.jpg?v=1793327937"},{"product_id":"lnt-white-hagi-chawan-tea-bowl-ー十一代-三輪-休雪-壽雪-白萩-茶碗","title":"LNT White Hagi Chawan Tea Bowl ー十一代 三輪 休雪, 壽雪 “白萩 茶碗”","description":"\u003cp\u003eCrawling white frothy glaze reveals pockets of the raw earth forming this quietly powerful tea bowl by Living National Treasure Miwa Kyusetsu XI (Jusetsu), enclosed in its original wooden box with an inscription by Urasenke XV Grand Master Sen Genshitsu Hōunsai titled Shiro-Hagi Chawan. The generously rounded form rises from a small foot to an irregular, gently undulating rim, its surface enveloped in a soft white Hagi glaze. Fine crazing spreads across the milky surface, punctuated by pinholes, iron specks and scattered areas where the glaze draws back to reveal the warm reddish clay beneath. These darker interruptions are particularly effective along the lip, emphasizing its wavering profile, while the exposed clay around the foot provides an earthy counterpoint to the pale body above. Substantial yet remarkably restrained, the bowl derives its character from the subtle tension between luminous white glaze, rough clay and the natural effects of firing. It measures 14 cm (5-1\/2 inches) in diameter, 9 cm (3-1\/2 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiwa Kyusetsu XI (1910-2012) was born the third son of the ninth generation Miwa Kyusetsu (Setsudo) and studied under his father and older brother (Kyusetsu X: Kyuwa).  He also studied under Kawakita Handeishi. He was first exhibited in 1955, and garnered his first acolades at the 4th Natioanl Traditional Craft Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei Ten) in 1957.  Following the retirement of the 10th generation Kyusetsu, he succeeded the name in 1967. He received the Imperial Order with Purple Ribbon in 1976 and the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1982. He was acknowledged as a Yamaguchi Prefectural Preserver of Intangible Cultural Properties in 1972 and Designated Living National Treasure in 1983.  He officially retired, passing on the family name and mantle to Miwa Ryusaku, but continued making pottery under the name “Jusetsu”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHōunsai Sen Genshitsu (1923–2025) was the fifteenth-generation Grand Master of the Urasenke tradition of tea and one of the most influential figures in the international development of chanoyu in the modern era. Born in Kyoto as Sen Masaoki, the eldest son of the fourteenth Grand Master, Mugensai, he studied at Doshisha University before being called into the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Pacific War, where he served in a special attack unit but survived the war without being ordered on a final mission. He later undertook Zen training at Daitokuji and received the name Hōunsai from the Zen master Gotō Zuigan. In 1964 he succeeded his father as the fifteenth Urasenke Grand Master, assuming the hereditary name Sen Sōshitsu. During his thirty-eight years as head of the school, Hōunsai worked tirelessly to introduce the Way of Tea internationally, traveling more than three hundred times to over sixty countries and promoting his lifelong ideal of “Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea” (Ichawan kara Peacefulness o). He received the Order of Culture in 1997 and served in numerous international cultural and diplomatic roles, including as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and Japan–United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. In 2002 he passed the position of Grand Master to his son, the sixteenth-generation Zabōsai, thereafter taking the name Sen Genshitsu and the title of Grand Master Emeritus (Daisōshō). He continued to promote tea as a means of cultural understanding and peace until his death in 2025 at the age of 102.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Miwa Kyusetsu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51625482813687,"sku":"MC1759","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-08-1211.29.58.jpg?v=1793330449"},{"product_id":"lnt-chawan-w-original-box-by-tea-master-hounsai-ー濱田-庄司-地掛鐵絵茶盌","title":"LNT Chawan w\/ Original box by Tea Master Hounsai ー濱田 庄司 “地掛鐵絵茶盌”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA rare tea bowl by Living National Treasure Hamada Shōji, enclosed in the original signed wooden box bearing inscriptions by both Hamada and the fifteenth-generation head of Urasenke, Sen Sōshitsu XV (Hōunsai) titled Jigake Tetsu-e Chawan. The box lid bears Hōunsai's signature and seal, while Hamada placed his own inscription and seal on the underside of the box. This unusual arrangement gives precedence to the tea master's inscription and strongly suggests that the box was prepared with Hōunsai's participation in mind, creating a particularly intimate association between one of modern Japan's most important potters and one of its foremost tea masters. The bowl itself is characteristically direct. A softly rounded body rises from a compact foot to an open, subtly irregular rim, its exterior covered in a subdued grey-green jigake ground whose granular surface allows the character of the clay to remain visible. Across one side Hamada has brushed a spare iron design in warm ochre and deep brown: looping strokes encircle a small cluster of darker marks, hovering somewhere between plant form and pure calligraphic gesture. There is no attempt at symmetry or elaborate pictorial decoration; a handful of assured strokes is enough to animate the entire surface. The interior provides a quiet counterpoint in warm buff tones, while the exposed edge of the foot reveals the reddish Mashiko clay beneath. The bowl is 13 cm (just over 5 inches) diameter, 9.2 cm (3-3\/4 inches) tall and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHamada Shoji was born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1894. In 1913, at the age of 19, he entered the Ceramics Department of the Tokyo Higher Technical School (now the Tokyo Institute of Technology) where he formed a friendship with senior student Kawai Kanjiro. In 1918 after visiting an exhibition, Yanagi Soetsu introduced him to the important British potter Bernard Leach, and the history of ceramic art was forever changed. The following year, he moved to England with Leach where he lived in St. Ives. After returning to Japan (1924), he spent time in Okinawa studying and appreciating the Tsuboya pottery of the island region. He then stayed with Kanjiro in Kyoto, where he, Yanagi, and Kanjiro established the principles of the Mingei movement.  Hamada then chose to establish his own kiln in the sleepy northern town of Mashiko.  He worked incessantly to further the Mingei ideals, using local clays and materials, and became mentor to any number of artist both domestic and from abroad.  He was named a Living National Treasure in 1955.  One of the most influential and sought after of all Japanese Ceramic artists. There is no shortage of reading material for those who would like to learn more about this potter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHōunsai Sen Genshitsu (1923-2025) was the fifteenth-generation Grand Master of the Urasenke tradition of tea and one of the most influential figures in the international development of chanoyu in the modern era. Born in Kyoto as Sen Masaoki, the eldest son of the fourteenth Grand Master, Mugensai, he studied at Doshisha University before being called into the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Pacific War, where he served in a special attack unit but survived the war without being ordered on a final mission. He later undertook Zen training at Daitokuji and received the name Hōunsai from the Zen master Gotō Zuigan. In 1964 he succeeded his father as the fifteenth Urasenke Grand Master, assuming the hereditary name Sen Sōshitsu. During his thirty-eight years as head of the school, Hōunsai worked tirelessly to introduce the Way of Tea internationally, traveling more than three hundred times to over sixty countries and promoting his lifelong ideal of “Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea” (Ichawan kara Peacefulness o). He received the Order of Culture in 1997 and served in numerous international cultural and diplomatic roles, including as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and Japan–United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. In 2002 he passed the position of Grand Master to his son, the sixteenth-generation Zabōsai, thereafter taking the name Sen Genshitsu and the title of Grand Master Emeritus (Daisōshō). He continued to promote tea as a means of cultural understanding and peace until his death in 2025 at the age of 102.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hamada Shoji","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51894695035127,"sku":"MC1608","price":2200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-03-1614.04.58_2.jpg?v=1793590303"},{"product_id":"lnt-carved-lacquer-tray-ー音丸-耕堂-彫漆菓子盆","title":"LNT Carved Lacquer Tray ー音丸 耕堂 “彫漆菓子盆”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking carved lacquer tray by Living National Treasure Otomaru Kōdō, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chōshitsu Kashibon (Carved Lacquer Confectionery Tray), itself protected within a red lacquered outer box (nijūbako). The gently curved square form is covered in a remarkable field of deep blue lacquer, across which stylized leaves, flowers and fruit unfold in an almost abstract composition. Otomaru exploits the layered nature of carved lacquer to extraordinary effect: areas cut through the blue reveal pools of glossy black edged with pale green, while leaves emerge through subtle changes of texture and tone. Fine incised lines articulate stems and foliage, touches of ochre enliven the blossoms, and a single flower appears as concentric layers of violet and pale pink. The restrained palette and boldly simplified forms give the traditional botanical subject a distinctly modern character, while the plain black reverse emphasizes the clarity of the shallow, gently rising profile. The tray measures 30 x 30 x 3.3 cm (11-3\/4 x 11-3\/4 x 1-1\/4 inches) and is in excellent condition, accompanied by a custom-made silk-lined protective pouch.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtomaru Kodo (1898-1987) was a distinguished Japanese lacquer artist renowned for his mastery of choshitsu (carved lacquer) techniques. Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, he began his apprenticeship under Ishii Keido in 1910 and, from 1914, independently studied the works of Tamakaji Zokoku, a pioneer of Sanuki lacquer art. In 1921, Otomaru co-founded the art group Kofukai with metalcraft artist Osuga Takashi and others, actively participating in exhibitions. His work gained significant recognition in 1932 when he was first accepted into the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten), leading to regular displays in subsequent exhibitions. In 1942, his carved-lacquer piece, \"Cosmetic box with moon-flower design,\" received a special award at the 5th New Ministry of Education Art Exhibition; this work is now part of the Takamatsu Art Museum's collection. Otomaru's innovative use of rich colors set his work apart. While traditional lacquerware primarily utilized vermillion, black, yellow, green, and brown, he introduced new pigments to achieve a broader spectrum of hues, enhancing the expressiveness of his designs. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese crafts, Otomaru was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder (Living National Treasure) in 1955, specifically in the carved-lacquer division. That same year, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Japan Kōgei Association, further influencing the development of traditional Japanese crafts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Otomaru Kodo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52011287773431,"sku":"k1579","price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-08-0615.35.10.jpg?v=1793842798"},{"product_id":"white-glazed-dobin-tea-kettle-by-lnt-ー清水-卯一-白釉土瓶","title":"White Glazed Dobin Tea kettle by LNT ー清水 卯一 “白釉土瓶”","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elegant white-glazed teapot by Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haku-yu Dobin (White-Glazed Teapot). The generously rounded body rises from a narrow, unglazed foot to gently sloping shoulders, with a short, upward-angled spout and two small ceramic loops supporting a tall, gracefully arched bamboo handle. The handle is carefully bound with strips of split bamboo at its crown and attachment points, introducing a warm natural contrast to the cool whiteness of the vessel. A softly lustrous ivory-white glaze covers the body and fitted ceramic lid, its subtly mottled surface interrupted only by the fine reddish-brown lines of exposed clay around the lid, mouth and foot. The restrained decoration allows the purity of the form and the relationship between ceramic and bamboo to become the principal expression of the work. Particularly pleasing is the balance between the low, expansive body and the high arch of the handle, lending the teapot an airy, almost architectural silhouette. It measures 14.5 x 19.5 x 16.5 cm (5-3\/4 x 7-5\/8 x 6-1\/2 inches), including the handle, with a ceramic body height of approximately 8.5 cm (3-3\/8 inches) .\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimizu Uichi (1926-2004) was born in Kyoto the son of a ceramic dealer. Discarding the family business, he apprenticed in plastic arts under future Living National Treasure Ishiguro Munemaro. His work retains some principal elements of his teachers style while incorporating an understated elegance and avant-garde spirit of challenge uncommon for his time. He was first exhibited at the Nitten in 1951, receiving numerous awards there since. He also took the gold medal at the Prague International Exhibition, and was at the Brussels World Exposition. He is in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto Museum of Modern art, Clark Center and the Freer Gallery among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimizu Uichi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52042055188727,"sku":"MC1877","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-10-1716.34.35.jpg?v=1793864368"},{"product_id":"large-platter-by-lnt-ー島岡-達三-地釉象嵌縄文皿","title":"Large Platter by LNT ー島岡 達三 “地釉象嵌縄文皿”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA large platter by Living National Treasure Shimaoka Tatsuzō, enclosed in its original signed wooden box titled Ji-yū Zōgan Jōmon Sara. The broad, gently rising dish is organized by a series of concentric iron-brown rings alternating with bands of creamy white glaze, creating a bold, almost hypnotic geometry across the surface. Between these rings, Shimaoka's characteristic rope-impressed jōmon zōgan decoration forms a remarkably fine herringbone-like pattern, the pale inlay settling into the rhythmic impressions of the clay. The disciplined circular design is softened by subtle irregularities in the hand-drawn lines and the warm reddish body revealed along the rim, giving the otherwise graphic composition a distinctly tactile character. The reverse is covered in a mottled grey-green glaze surrounding an exposed terracotta foot, with Shimaoka's impressed mark at the center. It measures 31 cm (12-1\/4 inches) in diameter and 4.6 cm (1-3\/4 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShimaoka Tatsuzo (1919-2007) was born in Tokyo and enrolled in the Tokyo Kogei Daigaku Ceramics division in 1939. The following year he would meet Mashiko Mingei potter Hamada Shoji, and the course of his life was thought set, graduating in 1941. However, he was drafted in 1942, and sent to Burma where he would remain until repatriation after the cessation of hostilities. In 1946 Tatsuzo apprenticed under Hamada who encouraged him to find his own voice, which he did when in 1950 took part in research into ancient Jomon potteries with Shirasaki Shunji, which would have a profound influence on his style. Working with Jomon rope patterns, Tatsuzo set out to create a style unique to himself, establishing his own kiln in 1954. Widely exhibited, awarded and influential in his lifetime, he received the Japan Ceramic Society Gold award in 1994, one of the highest honors for a Japanese ceramic artist, and was designated a Living National Treasure (Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Ningenkokuho) in 1996 culminating with receiving the Order of the Rising Sun in 1999.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shimaoka Tatsuzo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52119796482295,"sku":"MC1421","price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0801.36.21.jpg?v=1794211176"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/collections\/newsletter1.jpg?v=1792219145","url":"https:\/\/kuramonzen.com\/collections\/%e7%89%b9%e9%9b%86-%e4%ba%ba%e9%96%93%e5%9b%bd%e5%ae%9d-living-national-treasures.oembed?page=2","provider":"Kura Monzen Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}