{"title":"Kōgei (Crafts)","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eKōgei is the broad Japanese term for artisan craft, encompassing a refined world of materials, techniques, and traditions practiced by highly skilled makers. Unlike mass-produced objects, kōgei works arise from meticulous hand processes that often require years of apprenticeship to master. The term embraces both functional craft and expressive, sculptural work, bridging everyday use and artistic intention. Within this wide field are numerous disciplines: lacquer (\u003ci\u003eurushi\u003c\/i\u003e) ranging from \u003ci\u003emaki-e\u003c\/i\u003e gold decoration to carved or sculpted forms; ceramics, Japan’s oldest and most diverse craft tradition; metalwork including casting, forging, inlay, and rich patination; and bamboo art with its finely woven baskets and sculptural creations. Woodwork and carving span everything from Buddhist sculpture to intricately crafted household objects. Glass art and cloisonné flourished from the Meiji period onward, and paper crafts, doll making, stone work, and mixed-material practices also belong to the kōgei world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWhile mingei honors the beauty of anonymous folk craft, kōgei typically refers to named artists working at the highest technical level. Yet the two share deep common ground: material sensitivity, continuity of tradition, and the belief that everyday objects—when shaped with sincerity and skill—can embody profound beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"edo-p-set-of-4-seto-oribe-naga-zara-dishes","title":"Edo p. Set of 4 Seto-Oribe Naga-zara Dishes","description":"\u003cp\u003eA set of four “Mokume” wood-grained dishes in pale crackled glaze decorated with iron lattice from the Seto area enclosed in an ancient wooden box titled Seto Oribe naga-zara.  Each dish rises slightly off the table on four pinched feet.  They are roughly 19 x 10 x 3 cm (7-1\/2 x 4 x 1-1\/4 inches) and all are in overall fine condition.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49052418638071,"sku":"KN057","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-08-1005.54.54copy.jpg?v=1726024586"},{"product_id":"evocative-ink-painting-mounted-as-a-scroll","title":"Evocative Ink Painting Mounted as a Scroll ーのむら 清六 \"かじか\"","description":"There is something very intimate about this image of a small fish in a simple wash of ink by Nomura Seiroku enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kajika. Ink on psprt mounted in beige cloth, the scroll is 118 x 25.5 (10 x 46-1\/2 inches) and is in overall excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Japanese fluvial sculpin is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish. It is endemic to Japan, where it inhabits mountain streams in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nNomura Seiroku was born in 1916 as the fourth son of a farming family in Yamanashi Prefecture. During his childhood, he was entrusted to relatives and spent his time drawing late into the night while working at a cotton mill. At the age of 17, he persuaded his parents and relatives to let him move to Tokyo, where he took on various jobs while attending the night school at Kawabata Art Academy where he formed lifelong friendships with other painteers such as Iwasaki Hajin, Komatsu Hitoshi, and Taniguchi Sango. He sought mastery of the Tsuketate technique. which involves using a rough brush held vertically to create a strong brushstroke that carves the framework of the painting without sketching.In 1943, Seiroku was drafted into the Yokosuka Navy. Around the same time, he married Tokiko Nomura, a daughter from an old family in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, whom he had met during his art school days. As a result, he adopted the Nomura surname. In the early years of their marriage, Seiroku had little income, so in 1951, at the age of 35, he made a decisive move to focus on his artistic direction. He left his family and relocated to a cabin by Shibireko Lake in Yamanaka, Yamanashi Prefecture. There, he spent four ascetic years perfecting his \"Tsuketate\" technique. During this period, Nomura began creating cover illustrations for the haiku magazine \"Kira\" and held his first solo exhibition in Yamanashi Prefecture. He also showcased his works at various exhibitions, including the Shinseisaku Art Society Exhibition and the Japan Independent Exhibition. In 1955, after returning to his family in Komatsu City, he moved his studio to Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, to facilitate exhibitions and negotiations with art dealers in Tokyo. In the 1960s, Nomura produced outstanding works using flat and thick painting techniques. From the 1970s onwards, his brushwork became more free and spontaneous, and he began incorporating his own haiku into his paintings, evolving towards a more literati painting style.  Work by him is held in the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, the Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Art and the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art where a major retrospective was held in 2000.","brand":"Nomura Seiroku","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49123187523831,"sku":"NS23","price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/NS23.jpg?v=1728031976"},{"product_id":"framed-tanzaku-poem-czrd-tsubaki-camelia","title":"Framed Tanzaku Poem Czrd, Tsubaki (Camelia) ーのむら 清六 \"椿\"","description":"A framed Tanzaku Poem card dominated by a red camelia by Nomura Seiroku mounted in a period metal frame. Mineral pigment on paper mounted centered in a silver panel with cool color fabric. It is signed and titled on the back.\u003cbr\u003e\nThe imgage itself is 35.5×5 cm (14 x 2 inches), the frame size; 51.5 × 26.5 × 5 cm (20 x 10-1\/2 x 2 inches) and is in overall excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nNomura Seiroku was born in 1916 as the fourth son of a farming family in Yamanashi Prefecture. During his childhood, he was entrusted to relatives and spent his time drawing late into the night while working at a cotton mill. At the age of 17, he persuaded his parents and relatives to let him move to Tokyo, where he took on various jobs while attending the night school at Kawabata Art Academy where he formed lifelong friendships with other painteers such as Iwasaki Hajin, Komatsu Hitoshi, and Taniguchi Sango. He sought mastery of the Tsuketate technique. which involves using a rough brush held vertically to create a strong brushstroke that carves the framework of the painting without sketching.In 1943, Seiroku was drafted into the Yokosuka Navy. Around the same time, he married Tokiko Nomura, a daughter from an old family in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, whom he had met during his art school days. As a result, he adopted the Nomura surname. In the early years of their marriage, Seiroku had little income, so in 1951, at the age of 35, he made a decisive move to focus on his artistic direction. He left his family and relocated to a cabin by Shibireko Lake in Yamanaka, Yamanashi Prefecture. There, he spent four ascetic years perfecting his \"Tsuketate\" technique. During this period, Nomura began creating cover illustrations for the haiku magazine \"Kira\" and held his first solo exhibition in Yamanashi Prefecture. He also showcased his works at various exhibitions, including the Shinseisaku Art Society Exhibition and the Japan Independent Exhibition. In 1955, after returning to his family in Komatsu City, he moved his studio to Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, to facilitate exhibitions and negotiations with art dealers in Tokyo. In the 1960s, Nomura produced outstanding works using flat and thick painting techniques. From the 1970s onwards, his brushwork became more free and spontaneous, and he began incorporating his own haiku into his paintings, evolving towards a more literati painting style.  Work by him is held in the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, the Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Art and the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art where a major retrospective was held in 2000.","brand":"Nomura Seiroku","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49123188965623,"sku":"NS3","price":440.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2_dee3ef28-44ad-4bc3-8928-92801138ccbd.jpg?v=1728031234"},{"product_id":"marvelous-abstract-ink-painting-snow-flakes","title":"Marvelous Abstract Ink Painting, Snow Flakes ーのむら 清六 \"春の雪\"","description":"A masterpiece of simplicity and abstraction by Nomura Seiroku featuring various shades of black representing snowflakes slowly accumulating at the bottom of the long paper canvas enclosed in a period brushed metal frame with silver fabric mat. The frame is 96 x 31 x 6 cm (37-3\/4 x 12 x 2 inches), the image itself is 71 x 14.5 cm (28 x 6 inches) and is in fine condition.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nNomura Seiroku was born in 1916 as the fourth son of a farming family in Yamanashi Prefecture. During his childhood, he was entrusted to relatives and spent his time drawing late into the night while working at a cotton mill. At the age of 17, he persuaded his parents and relatives to let him move to Tokyo, where he took on various jobs while attending the night school at Kawabata Art Academy where he formed lifelong friendships with other painteers such as Iwasaki Hajin, Komatsu Hitoshi, and Taniguchi Sango. He sought mastery of the Tsuketate technique. which involves using a rough brush held vertically to create a strong brushstroke that carves the framework of the painting without sketching.In 1943, Seiroku was drafted into the Yokosuka Navy. Around the same time, he married Tokiko Nomura, a daughter from an old family in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, whom he had met during his art school days. As a result, he adopted the Nomura surname. In the early years of their marriage, Seiroku had little income, so in 1951, at the age of 35, he made a decisive move to focus on his artistic direction. He left his family and relocated to a cabin by Shibireko Lake in Yamanaka, Yamanashi Prefecture. There, he spent four ascetic years perfecting his \"Tsuketate\" technique. During this period, Nomura began creating cover illustrations for the haiku magazine \"Kira\" and held his first solo exhibition in Yamanashi Prefecture. He also showcased his works at various exhibitions, including the Shinseisaku Art Society Exhibition and the Japan Independent Exhibition. In 1955, after returning to his family in Komatsu City, he moved his studio to Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, to facilitate exhibitions and negotiations with art dealers in Tokyo. In the 1960s, Nomura produced outstanding works using flat and thick painting techniques. From the 1970s onwards, his brushwork became more free and spontaneous, and he began incorporating his own haiku into his paintings, evolving towards a more literati painting style.  Work by him is held in the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, the Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Art and the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art where a major retrospective was held in 2000.","brand":"Nomura Seiroku","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49123192373495,"sku":"NS11","price":1980.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/NS11.jpg?v=1728093542"},{"product_id":"from-the-forest-a-masterpiece-in-ink","title":"“From the Forest”, A Masterpiece in Ink ーのむら 清六 \"森から\"","description":"\u003cp\u003eTorn paper is layered to form the canvas for this unusual ink painting by master of the genre Nomura Seiroku titled Mori Kara (From the forest) published in the Museum catalog Nomura Seiroku by the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art (2000, Figure 21 page 115). According to the Museum it was painted in 1971. Here Seiroku has applied vertically torn strips of paper then applied dark vertical strokes of ink, intimiating not just through the color the image of the forest, but also via the texture of the paper canvas itself. It is 215 x 70.5 x 1.5 cm (84-1\/2 x 27-3\/4 inches) mounted on a wood framed panel in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDue to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNomura Seiroku was born in 1916 as the fourth son of a farming family in Yamanashi Prefecture. During his childhood, he was entrusted to relatives and spent his time drawing late into the night while working at a cotton mill. At the age of 17, he persuaded his parents and relatives to let him move to Tokyo, where he took on various jobs while attending the night school at Kawabata Art Academy where he formed lifelong friendships with other painteers such as Iwasaki Hajin, Komatsu Hitoshi, and Taniguchi Sango. He sought mastery of the Tsuketate technique. which involves using a rough brush held vertically to create a strong brushstroke that carves the framework of the painting without sketching.In 1943, Seiroku was drafted into the Yokosuka Navy. Around the same time, he married Tokiko Nomura, a daughter from an old family in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, whom he had met during his art school days. As a result, he adopted the Nomura surname. In the early years of their marriage, Seiroku had little income, so in 1951, at the age of 35, he made a decisive move to focus on his artistic direction. He left his family and relocated to a cabin by Shibireko Lake in Yamanaka, Yamanashi Prefecture. There, he spent four ascetic years perfecting his \"Tsuketate\" technique. During this period, Nomura began creating cover illustrations for the haiku magazine \"Kira\" and held his first solo exhibition in Yamanashi Prefecture. He also showcased his works at various exhibitions, including the Shinseisaku Art Society Exhibition and the Japan Independent Exhibition. In 1955, after returning to his family in Komatsu City, he moved his studio to Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, to facilitate exhibitions and negotiations with art dealers in Tokyo. In the 1960s, Nomura produced outstanding works using flat and thick painting techniques. From the 1970s onwards, his brushwork became more free and spontaneous, and he began incorporating his own haiku into his paintings, evolving towards a more literati painting style. Work by him is held in the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, the Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Art and the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art where a major retrospective was held in 2000.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nomura Seiroku","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49123194896631,"sku":"NS13","price":3850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-06-0507.32.54.jpg?v=1728031472"},{"product_id":"spectacular-mizusashi-ー-聴涛","title":"Spectacular Mizusashi ー崎山 隆之 “聴涛”","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA spectacular spiraling water jar with the original ceramic lid by Sakiyama Takayuki in his signature sandy clay enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Choto (Sound Wave). It is 18.6 cm (7-1\/4 inches) diameter, 16.4 cm (6-1\/2 inches) tall and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSakiyama Takayuki (b. 1958) graduated the Osaka Art University in 1981. In 1984 he exhibited for the first time at the Nitten National Exhibition. He established his kiln in Shizuoka in 1987, and was accepted into and prized at the National Ceramics Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten) for the first time in 1991 as well as being prized at the Nihon Gendai Kogeiten (modern crafts exhibition). In 2005 he received Grand Prize at the Nihon Togeiten. Work by the artist is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum New York, Brooklyn Museum, Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, New Orleans, LACMA, Musée national de Céramique- Sèvres, France, National Museum of Scotland as well as the Museum of Ceramic Art in Hyogo and the Sano Museum among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sakiyama Takayuki","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49219953885431,"sku":"MC1106","price":2400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-11-0206.37.22copy2_55e8b1de-d384-444a-921d-bb199dd9eaf7.jpg?v=1761017537"},{"product_id":"rare-edo-p-kuro-satsuma-naeshirogawa-open-jar","title":"Rare Edo p. Kuro Satsuma Naeshirogawa Open Jar","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA black glazed Naeshirogawa-yaki Ukibori Botan-mon Han-do Kame (Peony in raised relief open vessel) from Kagoshima in Southern Kyushu dating from the second half of the mid period (late 17th to 18th-century). According to local beliefs these squat, wide-mouthed vessels were made to hold ama-zake (sweet rice wine).  A big fan of the lesser known potteries of Kyushu, I have been looking for years for a piece like this in good condition (a rarity in deed), and am proud to be able to offer it.  It is 36 cm (14 inches) tall, roughly 40 cm diameter  and in excellent condition.  A strikingly similar piece with a dragon in relief is held in the collection of the Kyushu Museum of Ceramics (Kyushu Toji Bunkakan).\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNaeshirogawa yaki, one of the three main divisions of Satsuma potteries (along with Tateno and Ryumonji), was established by BokuHei (Japanese name Seiuemon, 1560-1624), a potter brought to Japan from the Korean campaigns of Hideyoshi by Shimadzu Yoshihiro in 1599.  He first opened a kiln in Kushikino before finding better conditions in Naeshirogawa in 1603.  Later white clay was discovered, leading to the development of Shiro-satsuma as well.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe history of Satsuma ware goes back to the 16th century when Japan fought in the Imjin War, (also known as the Porcelain War), in which Yoshihiro Shimazu, Lord of the Satsuma domain, brought back eighty Korean potters, giving birth to a new ceramic tradition on Japanese soil. There are four main historical lines of Satsuma ware: Tateno, Ryumonji, Naeshirogawa and Hirasa. They are roughly separated into white wares, black wares and porcelains. Kuro Satsuma (black ware) is made by using combinations of black or brown colored glaze. The body itself is dark brown since the clay contains iron from the local soil enriched by the volcanic ash of Sakurajima.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAlthough no known date exists, Satsuma potteries are believed to have begun during the late 16th century when Korean potters were brought to Japan, jumpstarting the ceramic industry in Kyushu, from the Naeshirogawa area, which were to become the hub of the local pottery industry.  The oldest remaining examples of Satsuma are stoneware made from iron-rich dark clay covered in dark glaze, humble articles of folk-ware intended for the subdued confines of the tea room of practical everyday use in largely rustic environments. It was not until the early 19th century that the bright and golden works known now as Satsuma began to be created, if not mostly for the export market.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49279821644023,"sku":"K374","price":2000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-3116.18.34.jpg?v=1780628063"},{"product_id":"okamoto-tameji-art-deco-era-porcelain-vase","title":"Okamoto Tameji Art Deco Era Porcelain Vase","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDeer prance about in abbreviated Art-Deco windows on this large vase by Okamoto Tameji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hakuji Asobu-Shika-zu Kabin (Vase in pale porcelain decorated with playing Deer).  It is 33.5 tall, 32.5 cm (roughly 13 inches) diameter and in excellent condition. Stylistically it is consistent with his works from the early 1930s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOkamoto Tameji (1901-1958) was born in in the International Port city of Kobe and raised in Kyoto, the artistic and cultural heartland of Japan.  He attended the Kyoto Municipal Tojiki Shikenjo Ceramic Research Facility, and apprenticed under Kawamura Seizan.  He was first accepted into the Bunten\/Teiten National Exhibition in 1927, and was selected for and awarded there consistently both pre and post war.  His works were featured at the Chicago, San Francisco and New York Expositions.    \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49281884881143,"sku":"K211","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-3116.23.03.jpg?v=1780892490"},{"product_id":"edo-period-japanese-elephant-koro-incense-burner","title":"Edo period Japanese Elephant Koro Incense Burner","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe cutest elephant (piglet?) ever produced, this antique figure is made of thick pale clay, his open mouth and snout coated in black soot from eons of burning incense.  On his back a heavy pottery lid, equally blackened inside.  The inner rim on the underside of the lid has lost much of its edge, however the lid itself is still perfectly intact.  The tip of the right ear has been broken off, and it is likely that there was once some form of tail insert, which is no longer extant.  This is evidenced by the lack of smoke around the rump where a smooth, circular hole exists.  It is 40 x 21 x 20 cm (16 x 8 x 8 inches), dating from the Edo period.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe elephant is the vehicle for Fugen Bosatsu, the Bodhisattva of Virtue.\u003cbr\u003eAlso, in Buddhism the elephant is a symbol of mental strength. At the beginning of one's practice the uncontrolled mind is symbolized by a gray elephant who can run wild and destroy everything on his way.  Just as the rampaging elephant is controlled by unregulated passions, we often find ourselves ruled by our desires, fears, and resentments.  We think that suffering arises from what others do to us, or what happens to us; as self-perceived victims, we suffer. However, after taming one's mind, the mind which has been brought under control is symbolized by a white elephant strong and powerful, who can be directed wherever one wishes and destroy all the obstacles on his way. The Buddha taught that suffering arises internally, from our responses to events. To free ourselves from suffering, we subdue our minds, and with that tamed mind, we answer difficult circumstances without fear, desire, or rage, transforming adversity into growth. As such, the degree to which we experience unhappiness and pain depends on our internal responses, not on external conditions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49283821502711,"sku":"K183","price":2400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-1217.35.23.jpg?v=1782110607"},{"product_id":"rare-edo-period-ceramic-ornament-kawauso-japanese-otter","title":"Rare! Edo period Ceramic Ornament, Kawauso, Japanese Otter","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eI have never seen this before, a ceramic okimono in the shape of a Japanese otter, its elongated body upright with a sleepy look on its face, sleek hair incised over the entire body.  This just goes to prove that Kawaii has been part of Japanese culture for a very long time.  The creature is 35 cm (14 inches) tall and in original condition.  The tail, which likely looped out slightly, has been broken off at the base.  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49283823239415,"sku":"K178","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-1217.29.09.jpg?v=1782177571"},{"product_id":"fabulous-japanese-bunraku-ningyo-puppet-matsuomaru-ー文楽人形-松王丸","title":"Fabulous Japanese Bunraku Ningyo Puppet, Matsuomaru ー文楽人形 松王丸","description":"This is a superb Bunraku puppet of the historical figure Matsuomaru, one of the lead characters from the Tale of the Heikei and legendary fighter in Japan. The doll is incredibly mobile. Head moving up and down, his eyes open and close and move left to right. His eyebrows can be raised and lowered, and mouth opened or closed, all from toggles inside his kimono on the extended neck piece. The puppet is in perfect condition and stands 43 inches to the top of his topknot, complete with a bamboo display stand. As pictured it stands 1 meter, (roughly 3 feet) tall and is in excellent condition. It is signed on the neck, and comes with a small placard also signed and titled by the maker.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMatsuōmaru is a character in Japanese Bunraku and Kabuki theater, a central figure in the play \"Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura\" (The Thousand Cherry Trees of Yoshitsune), which is one of the most famous and beloved historical plays in the bunraku and kabuki repertoire. Matsuōmaru is portrayed as the younger brother of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a legendary samurai warrior and military commander during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods of Japan's history. In \"Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura,\" Matsuōmaru is depicted as a loyal and brave character who assists his brother Yoshitsune in various adventures and battles. The play centers around Yoshitsune's escape from the pursuit of his enemies, particularly his brother Yoritomo, who becomes suspicious of Yoshitsune's growing popularity and loyalty among their followers.","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49292158337271,"sku":"K386","price":2400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/k386_1.jpg?v=1742091624"},{"product_id":"iro-bizen-monju-bosatsu-on-shishi-koro-incense-burner","title":"Iro Bizen Monju Bosatsu on Shishi Koro Incense Burner","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA superb rendition of the wise Monju Bosatsu reading a hand scroll at rest atop his Shishi Lion created as a Koro censer in the Iro Bizen style, also called Saishoku Bizen.  It is 28 x 22 x 28.5 cm (11 x 9 x 11-1\/2 inches) and is in excellent condition. Monju Bosatsu is one of the key bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is particularly venerated in Zen and Esoteric Buddhist traditions in Japan, as well as in Tibetan Buddhism, considered a protector of scholars and students. Monju Bosatsu embodies the enlightened wisdom of the Buddha and represents deep understanding and clarity of thought. He is often invoked by those seeking intellectual and spiritual guidance. Monju is often depicted holding a sword in his right hand, which symbolizes the sharpness of wisdom to cut through ignorance and delusion, while in his left hand, he may hold a lotus flower or a scroll of Buddhist teachings, representing knowledge and the Dharma. He is frequently shown seated on a lion, as here, symbolizing courage and the power of wisdom to overcome obstacles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBizen pottery, one of Japan’s oldest ceramic traditions, originates from Bizen Province (modern-day Okayama Prefecture) and dates back over 1,000 years. Renowned for its unglazed, earthy textures and natural ash glazes, it emerged during the Heian period (794–1185) and flourished in the Momoyama period (1573–1600). Saikumono, small, intricate sculptural pieces, became a hallmark, showcasing artisans' creativity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Kitchoan Museum holds a matching figure of Fugen Bosatsu on an elephant, and they say: Bizen ware, which enjoyed widespread acclaim throughout Japan from the medieval period to the Momoyama period, saw its prominence wane with the arrival of the Edo period. It was overshadowed by ceramics from regions such as Seto, Mino, and Arita. In response to this situation, Bizen kilns sought to reclaim their standing by developing new techniques, including saishiki Bizen (colored Bizen ware). Under the guidance of official painters employed by the Okayama domain, they created low-fired figurines of people and animals, which were then painted with gofun (white pigment) and mineral pigments. These works were primarily used as gifts for the shogunate and other domains. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49377213743351,"sku":"K424","price":5800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-3011.11.10.jpg?v=1780111502"},{"product_id":"ao-bizen-tora-sennin-tiger-and-saint","title":"Ao Bizen Tora Sennin Tiger and Saint","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA very unusual koro in gray Bizen clay (Ao-Bizen) dating from the Edo period created in the form of a Sennin Buddhist Saint seated atop a large tiger in repose. Superb craftsmanship; it is 26.5 x 18.5 x 18.5 cm in excellent condition. Certainly a museum quality piece.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Sennin and Rakan (Arahants, Arhats) in Japanese Buddhist tradition represent distinct but sometimes overlapping concepts, rooted in Buddhist and Daoist cosmologies.  Sennin are figures from Chinese Daoist tradition, known as immortals or sages who have attained spiritual enlightenment, transcended worldly concerns, and often gained supernatural abilities. This concept was absorbed into Japanese culture and adapted within Buddhist and Shinto traditions. They are often depicted in art and folklore as ascetics living in remote mountains or forests and frequently appear as serene figures engaged in meditative practices or interacting with nature, often accompanied by animals. Sennin imagery often overlaps with Rakan who are individuals who have attained liberation (nirvana) in Buddhist teachings. They are prominent in Theravada and Mahayana traditions and are often revered as protectors of the Dharma. The number of Arhats venerated varies, but the Sixteen Arhats are particularly popular in East Asian Buddhism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49379335143671,"sku":"K423","price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-3011.01.55.jpg?v=1780115042"},{"product_id":"bronze-koi-fish-in-waves-ー山川-考次-銅製鯉像","title":"Bronze Koi Fish in Waves ー山川 考次 \"銅製鯉像\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA set of silvered bronze swimming among frothy waves on a fine wooden stand, each signed on the belly Yamakawa Koji and enclosed in a large kiri-wood display box.  The two fish are beautifully rendered, full of movement, roughly 30 cm (1 foot) long each.  The wave base is 40 x 25 x 25 cm (16 x 10 x 10 inches).  The wooden stand is 50.5 x 28.5 x 5 cm (20 x 11 x 2 inches) and all is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDue to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Yamakawa family were pioneering metalworkers of the pre-modern to modern age.  The first generation Yamakawa Koji (given name Yasoji, 1828-1882) was born in Kanazawa and became an apprentice at the age of 11 to Yanagawa Harushige (follower of renowned Edo metalworker Yokoya Somin) where he honed his skills. During the reign of the 13th feudal lord Maeda Nariyasu in 1862, he was appointed as a silversmith tasked with creating fittings for the lord’s swords, his remarkable skill earned him the title of \"Kaga Somin.\" His techniques were described as achieving the pinnacle of craftsmanship, with elegant and refined engraving marks (as noted in Soken Kishō). In 1873 the Meiji government commissioned Kanazawa metalworkers to create exhibits for Japan's first official participation in the Vienna World Exposition. Yamakawa Koji was selected as the leader of the artisan group, alongside Yamao Jiroku, Mizuno Genroku, Hiraoka Chuzo, and Suzuki Kappei. The group later formed the foundation of the Copperware Company in 1877 (Meiji 10), with Hasegawa Junya as president (later renamed the Kanazawa Copperware Company). This company showcased Kanazawa's metalwork to the world. Yamakawa played a central role in the company, supervising creations for the Imperial Household Agency and both domestic and international exhibitions. His achievements included an award for his copperware at the 1876 (Meiji 9) Philadelphia World Exposition and the prestigious Phoenix Medal at the 1877 (Meiji 10) First National Industrial Exhibition for his contributions as \"Kanazawa Copperware Craftsman.\" Yamakawa Koji II (1860-1930) apprenticed under the first-generation master, learning his techniques. He worked as a craftsman for the Copperware Company. Around 1892 following the company’s dissolution, he established his own workshop and trained numerous apprentices. Yamakawa Koji III (1884-1938) studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts before succeeding the family business.He passed away in 1938 after which the Yamakawa family lineage came to an end.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yamakawa Koji","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49379644735735,"sku":"K344","price":5500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/K344YamakawaKoji.jpg?v=1780364279"},{"product_id":"koro-censer-ー宮川-香山-青磁釉獅子槁香炉","title":"Kozan Koro Censer ー宮川 (真葛) 香山 \"青磁釉獅子槁香炉\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA simple Celadon Koro by Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan peaked with a shishi lion enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji-yu Shishi-ko Koro.  It is 11 cm (4-1\/2 inches) diameter, 12 cm (5 inches) tall and in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe name Kozan was granted by Prince Yasui-no-Miya in 1851 in honor of the tea ware produced during the later Edo for the imperial Court by the tenth-generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. The Kozan (Makuzu) kiln as we know it today was established in Yokohama in 1871 by the 11th generation head of the family where he reinvented the family business. He immediately set out on a journey which would propel the Kozan name to International Celebrity status, and send his wares throughout the globe. Pieces produced there were marked Kozan, or Makuzu, the official kiln name, or both. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan (1859-1940) through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one-year mourning for his father’s passing. Under Hanzan the kiln was commissioned for works to be presented to the Prince of Wales, the 25th wedding anniversary gift for the Taisho emperor and the Showa Emperors coronation gift. The unlucky third generation inherited the kiln at the height of the war years, it was completely destroyed in the bombing of Yokohama in 1945. For more on this illustrious family see Bridging East and West, Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio by Kathleen Emerson-Dell.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49386601316599,"sku":"K429","price":1400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-3115.00.20.jpg?v=1781407943"},{"product_id":"nationally-exhibited-ceramic-basin-ー福島-寛子-呉須絵青文鉢","title":"Nationally Exhibited Ceramic Basin ー福島 寛子 “呉須絵青文鉢”","description":"A spectacular large basin in blue and white by Fukushima Hiroko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gosu-e Ao-mon Hachi exhibited at the 63rd Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. It comes with a copy of the catalog in which it is published as well as the original label from the exhibition. The bowl is 35 cm (14 inches) diameter, 19 cm (just less than 8 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist. According to Hiroko: The clay itself is like a canvas for glazing. The Kasuri pattern is expressed by repeatedly applying and scraping away three different types of Gosu. The depth of the glaze and inflections of the shades of indigo recall the colors and softness of textiles.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFukushima Hiroko was born in Kanagawa prefecture and graduated the Joshi Bijutsu Daigaku Art College Western Painting Department in 1967.Her interest moved to ceramics in 1987, and after nearly a decade of practice and working in other kilns, she opened established her own kiln in 1996. That year her work was awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. The following year would find her work accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei-ten) and again awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. In 1999 she would be for the first time accepted into and subsequently awarded at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition. In both 2000 and 2002 she would garner prizes at the Seto Sometsuke Public Exhibition specializing in Blue and White ceramics, showing the respect her work had already gained among her peers. In 2007 her work was prized at the Nihon Shinsaku Kogei ten, and in 2010 was presented for public viewing at the MOA Museum of Art in Shizuoka. In 2013 she would begin exhibiting with the Tobi-ten of the Nihon Togei Biutsu Kyokai. Her work was purchased by the Imperial Household Agency in 2020. Following the death of her husband, and no longer able to carry the heavy pieces she had made alone, she retired from the ceramic world in 2023.","brand":"Fukushima Hiroko","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49537142882551,"sku":"MC1119","price":3200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-01-1406.32.15copycopy.jpg?v=1742020723"},{"product_id":"lacquered-wooden-cups-ー川北-浩彦","title":"Lacquered Wooden Cups ー川北 浩彦","description":"Three various shapes in three different woods by Kawakita Hirohiko, an artist known for his ability to pull the very best of the wood grain to the surface of his works. Here is a wide cup of Horse Chestnut (Tocchi) with two close bands of zig-zagging metal belting the center and a lively tiger-eye pattern in the wood. Beside that is a tall thinner cup of Zelkova (Keyaki), a highly prized hardwood from the elm family, with three bands of metal inlayed among ever-so-slightly sculpted facets. The third is a smaller stem-footed wine cup of Cherry (Sakura) with a single band inlayed close to the rim. Each is covered outside in clear lacquer. The larger cups are covered inside with tame-nuri soft burgundy lacquer, the wine cup is, on the other hand, gilded in gold inside, in turn covered in a nearly opaque red, a style called byakudan-nuri. All three are signed on the base with the artists yaki-in brand. The Wide cup is 9 cm diameter 10.5 cm tall, the Thinner Keyaki cup is 8 cm diameter, 13 cm tall, and the wine cup is 7.5 cm diameter, 9 cm tall. All are in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nKawakita Hirohiko was born the son of future Living National Treasure for Woodwork Kawakita Ryozo in 1962. He has exhibited with and has been awarded several times at  the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten), the Ishikawa Prefectural Traditional Crafts exhibition (Ishikawa Dento Kogeiten), Traditional Bamboo and Wood Craft Exhibition (Dento Kogei MokuchikuTen), Ishikawa International Lacquer Exhibition 2005 and Kenrokuen Daichakai Komakuten among many others.","brand":"Kawakita Hirohiko","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49552991224055,"sku":"K313","price":570.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/woodcups1_a4d40397-1466-4bb7-ad2e-fadf2ddc0ed7.jpg?v=1755409601"},{"product_id":"rare-antique-japanese-ao-bizen-cat-shaped-koro","title":"Rare! Antique Japanese Ao-Bizen Cat-shaped Koro","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAn Edo period Ao-Bizen (Blue Bizen) koro in the shape of a sleeping cat wrapped in a Sarasa-cloth pouch in an old wooden collector-s box titled Ao-Ko-Bizen Yaki Nemuri Neko (Old Blue-Bizen Sleeping Cat) annotated during the Taisho period (indicating it was already old by then). It is 17.5 x 10 x 7.5 cm (7 x 4 x 3 inches). There is a hairline crack in the back extending from the heart shaped opening.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBizen pottery, one of Japan’s oldest ceramic traditions, originates from Bizen Province (modern-day Okayama Prefecture) and dates back over 1,000 years. Renowned for its unglazed, earthy textures and natural ash glazes, it emerged during the Heian period (794–1185) and flourished in the Momoyama period (1573–1600). Saikumono, small, intricate sculptural pieces, became a hallmark, showcasing artisans' creativity. Recently, Blue Bizen (Ao-Bizen) developed featuring blue-hued finishes achieved by varying clays and atmospheric conditions during firing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49553052631287,"sku":"K421","price":4500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-05-3011.16.12.jpg?v=1780120714"},{"product_id":"contemporary-blue-white-vase-ー福島-寛子-呉須絵花器","title":"Contemporary Blue \u0026 White Vase ー福島 寛子 “呉須絵花器”","description":"A unique Ichirin Sashi vase in indico blue and raw white clay by Fukushima Hiroko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gosu-e Kaki. It is 11 cm (4-1\/4 inches) diameter, 31.5 cm (12-1\/2 inches) tall and in perfect condition, directly from the artist.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFukushima Hiroko was born in Kanagawa prefecture and graduated the Joshi Bijutsu Daigaku Art College Western Painting Department in 1967.Her interest moved to ceramics in 1987, and after nearly a decade of practice and working in other kilns, she opened established her own kiln in 1996. That year her work was awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. The following year would find her work accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei-ten) and again awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. In 1999 she would be for the first time accepted into and subsequently awarded at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition. In both 2000 and 2002 she would garner prizes at the Seto Sometsuke Public Exhibition specializing in Blue and White ceramics, showing the respect her work had already gained among her peers. In 2007 her work was prized at the Nihon Shinsaku Kogei ten, and in 2010 was presented for public viewing at the MOA Museum of Art in Shizuoka. In 2013 she would begin exhibiting with the Tobi-ten of the Nihon Togei Biutsu Kyokai. Her work was purchased by the Imperial Household Agency in 2020. Following the death of her husband, and no longer able to carry the heavy pieces she had made alone, she retired from the ceramic world in 2023.","brand":"Fukushima Hiroko","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49558079537399,"sku":"MC1126","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-11-1008.01.33.jpg?v=1742967945"},{"product_id":"rare-red-pattern-ceramic-vase-ー福島-寛子-鉄絵花器","title":"Rare Red Pattern Ceramic Vase ー福島 寛子 “鉄絵花器”","description":"An unusual work in patterned in russet red by female artist Fukushima Hiroko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Tetsu-e Kaki. The design is based on traditional Textile patternation, a strong source of inspiration for the artist. The vast majority of work by Hiroko is in blue and white, making this vessel quite unique. The vase is 8.2 cm (3-1\/2 inches) square, 35 cm (14 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFukushima Hiroko was born in Kanagawa prefecture and graduated the Joshi Bijutsu Daigaku Art College Western Painting Department in 1967. Her interest moved to ceramics in 1987, and after nearly a decade of practice and working in other kilns, she opened established her own kiln in 1996. That year her work was awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. The following year would find her work accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei-ten) and again awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. In 1999 she would be for the first time accepted into and subsequently awarded at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition. In both 2000 and 2002 she would garner prizes at the Seto Sometsuke Public Exhibition specializing in Blue and White ceramics, showing the respect her work had already gained among her peers. In 2007 her work was prized at the Nihon Shinsaku Kogei ten, and in 2010 was presented for public viewing at the MOA Museum of Art in Shizuoka. In 2013 she would begin exhibiting with the Tobi-ten of the Nihon Togei Biutsu Kyokai. Her work was purchased by the Imperial Household Agency in 2020. Following the death of her husband, and no longer able to carry the heavy pieces she had made alone, she retired from the ceramic world in 2023.","brand":"Fukushima Hiroko","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49567261393143,"sku":"MC1123","price":850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-11-1008.07.45.jpg?v=1743129843"},{"product_id":"bunraku-puppet-head-ー初代-天狗久","title":"Bunraku Puppet Head ー初代 天狗久","description":"A bunraku puppet head of a fierce samurai warrior by the most famous of all the Bunraku carvers, Yoshioka Tenguhisa, featuring his innovative glass eyes and bearing the artists brand on both the handle and the stump of the neck. Full size, it is 40 cm (16 inches) from top knot to base of the handle, the head itself roughly 11 x 13 x 15 cm (4-1\/2 x 5-1\/4 x 6 inches) excluding hair and neck. It is in overall excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nYoshioka Hisakichi (Tenguhisa I, 1858-1943) was born the third son of Kasai Iwazo in Awa Province (now Tokushima City). At the age of 16, he became an apprentice to doll maker Wakamatsuya Tomigoro. He was later adopted by the Yoshioka family of Wada Village and established himself independently under the shop name \"Tenguya.\" He innovated by introducing glass eyes for dolls and promoting larger doll heads. His persona and life are vividly portrayed in the novel Ningyoshi Tenguya Hisakichi by Chiyo Uno, based on his own accounts. Over 40 of his works have been designated as cultural assets of Tokushima Prefecture. Tenguhisa II (Yoshioka Kaname, 1880-1915) became the adopted son of Hisakichi's eldest daughter, Shigeru, and succeeded as the second-generation Tenguya, taking the name \"Tengu Kaname.\" Most of his works were created in collaboration with his adoptive father, Hisakichi, leaving few creations solely attributed to him. Kaname passed away in July 1915 at the young age of 36. The third Generation (Yoshioka Hajime, 1911-1978) was born as the second son of the previous Tenguya, Hajime also went by the name \"Tengu Hajime.\" He studied under the first-generation Hisakichi from a young age.","brand":"Yoshioka Tenguhisa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49575321895159,"sku":"K362","price":2750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-0203.10.34.jpg?v=1752654984"},{"product_id":"exquisite-tall-celadon-koro-ー浦口-雅行-青瓷香爐","title":"Exquisite Tall Celadon Koro ー浦口 雅行 \"青瓷香爐\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA striking form by Uraguchi Masayuki rising majestically to a sweeping lid enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seiji Koro dating to 2000.  It is 32 cm (13 inches) tall and in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eUraguchi Masayuki (b. 1964) discovered pottery while attending the Tokyo National University of Fine Art and Music and his world turned when he was introduced to a Song Dynasty Seiji Vase\" at the Tokyo National Museum designated a National Treasure during one of his art courses. After graduation he met (and studied under) living National Treasure for celadon Miura Koheiji at the Tokyo University of Art. Inspired by the Southern Song celadons as well as the work of Japanese master ceramists Itaya Hazan and Okabe Mineo, Uraguchi spent years personally researching his own celadon glazes and clay bodies types. He finished his post graduate program in 1989, claiming a prize that same year at the National Traditional Arts and Crafts New Works Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei Shinsakuten). The following year he would b awarded at the Nitten National Exhibition. In 1991 he established his kiln in Tochigi prefecture. He has since received innumerable awards, including the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition, Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten) among many others. In 1995 he travelled to China to study first-hand the Song guan and Longquan ceramics. In 2001 he moved his Kiln to Hachigocho, Ibaraki Prefecture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Uraguchi Masayuki","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49602185625847,"sku":"MC951","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-08-0808.25.47copy2_457ea6e6-eb7c-4c59-978f-19f9f5a11633.jpg?v=1760671184"},{"product_id":"tokuda-junko-yasokichi-ⅳ-kutani-plate-ー徳田-八十吉","title":"Tokuda Junko Kutani Plate ー四代 徳田 八十吉 (順子) \"太古の富士\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eExquisite colors blend together into a rich blue pool on this small plate by leading female potter Tokuda Yasokichi IV (Junko) enclosed in the original signed wooden box.  It is 15.5 cm (6 inches) diameter and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTokuda Junko (Yasokichi IV) was born the first child of future Living National Treasure Tokuda Masahiko in 1961. While on a trip to the United States in her mid-20s, the young Tokuda came across a pot from Jingdezhen, China and drew her back to the fold of the family tradition. She graduated from the Institute for Kutani in 1990 and embarked on her path as an artist. Succeeding the family name in 2010 upon the passing of her father, Junko is one of very few female heads of traditional potting family.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tokuda Yasokichi IV","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49602540568823,"sku":"MC946","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-08-0808.57.43copy2.jpg?v=1744700920"},{"product_id":"amazing-shinogi-vase-ー新-学-伊賀-鎬花入","title":"Amazing Shinogi Vase ー新 学 \"伊賀 鎬花入\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA volcanic extrusion of scorched clay by Atarashi Manabu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shinogi Hanaire.  It is 17.5 x 14 x 34 cm (7 x 5-1\/2 x 13-1\/2 inches) and in new condition, directly from the artist this summer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAtarashi Manabu has been growing in popularity as one of the leaders in the Iga pottery tradition since the first time I saw his work nearly 20 years ago when visiting the family showroom in Iga village.  Born in 1973 in Osaka son of the second generation artist and one of the leading revivalists of the Iga tradition in post war Japan, Atarashi Kanji.  He graduated the literature department of Kansai University in 1995, moving to apprentice under his father a few years later.  In 2002 he built his first anagama Kiln, and held his first of a multitude of solo exhibitions.  Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain.  His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his fathers tradition into the 21st century.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atarashi Manabu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49604745429239,"sku":"MC904","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-07-2705.12.23copy2_97f535f6-7675-43db-9132-678665e06dd6.jpg?v=1758676623"},{"product_id":"unusual-shinogi-lidded-vase-ー新-学-伊賀-鎬水注花器","title":"Unusual Shinogi Lidded Vase ー新 学 \"伊賀 鎬水注花器\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis vase is created in the form of a water server complete with removable lid and pouring spout by Atarashi Manabu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shinogi Sui-Chu Kaki.  Shinogi is this method of cutting away portions of the surface, in this case in sweeping patterns like the arcing stroke of a Katana.  This both allows the natural ash glaze a foot hold as it blows through the kiln, and as it cools, allows the molten ash to flow and create striking patterns on the surface. It is 16 × 13 × 21 cm (5-3\/4 x 5 x 8-1\/4 inches) and in new condition, directly from the artist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAtarashi Manabu has been growing in popularity as one of the leaders in the Iga pottery tradition since the first time I saw his work nearly 20 years ago when visiting the family showroom in Iga village.  Born in 1973 in Osaka son of the second generation artist and one of the leading revivalists of the Iga tradition in post war Japan, Atarashi Kanji.  He graduated the literature department of Kansai University in 1995, moving to apprentice under his father a few years later.  In 2002 he built his first anagama Kiln, and held his first of a multitude of solo exhibitions.  Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain.  His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his fathers tradition into the 21st century.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atarashi Manabu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49604838097143,"sku":"MC900","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-07-2706.11.12copy2.jpg?v=1744793366"},{"product_id":"stellar-chossen-karatsu-vase-ー中川-自然坊-挑戦唐津鶴首花入","title":"Stellar Chossen Karatsu Vase ー中川 自然坊 \"挑戦唐津鶴首花入\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"tab-stops: 325.1pt;\"\u003eA fabulous Bottle form vase by legendary Nakagawa Jinenbo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chossen Karatsu Tsuru Kubi Hanaire.  It is 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter, 22.5 cm (9 inches) tall and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"tab-stops: 325.1pt;\"\u003eNakagawa Jinenbo (1953-2011) was always fascinated with Karatsu ware, and studied under the great Inoue Toya from the age of 24. Several years later he returned to his hometown to establish a climbing kiln of his own, which he put to great use. From there, not satisfied with his own skills, he went to Tanaka Sajiro for an additional apprenticeship. Afterwards, as many Chajin artists, he concentrated on private exhibitions as an outlet for his work, shunning the world of mass competition and retail. His life and career were cut short far too early, making his work both highly valued and hard to find.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nakagawa Jinenbo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49613585121527,"sku":"MC944","price":650.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-08-0903.21.27copy2_5849c050-f288-464b-a57c-529fca77d968.jpg?v=1759194640"},{"product_id":"viscuous-black-iga-tokkuri-ー新-学-伊賀-徳利","title":"Viscuous Black Iga Tokkuri ー新 学 \"伊賀 徳利\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA molten black Sake Flask by Atarashi Manabu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Tokkuri.  It is 8 cm (3 inches) diameter, 14 cm (5-1\/2 inches) tall and in new condition, directly from the artist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAtarashi Manabu has been growing in popularity as one of the leaders in the Iga pottery tradition since the first time I saw his work nearly 20 years ago when visiting the family showroom in Iga village.  Born in 1973 in Osaka son of the second generation artist and one of the leading revivalists of the Iga tradition in post war Japan, Atarashi Kanji.  He graduated the literature department of Kansai University in 1995, moving to apprentice under his father a few years later.  In 2002 he built his first anagama Kiln, and held his first of a multitude of solo exhibitions.  Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain.  His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his fathers tradition into the 21st century.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atarashi Manabu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49625587745015,"sku":"MC896","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-07-2706.53.00copy2.jpg?v=1745648704"},{"product_id":"shinogi-suichu-kaki-vase-ー新-学-伊賀-鎬水注花器","title":"Shinogi Suichu Kaki Vase ー新 学 \"伊賀 鎬水注花器\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA sweeping form of torn and slashed clay by Atarashi Manabu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shinogi Suichu Kaki.  Shinogi is this method of cutting away portions of the surface, in this case in sweeping patterns like the arcing stroke of a Katana.  This both allows the natural ash glaze a foot hold as it blows through the kiln, and as it cools, allows the molten ash to flow and create striking patterns on the surface. It is 33 × 11 × 19 cm (13 x 4-1\/4 x 7-3\/4 inches) and in new condition, directly from the artist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAtarashi Manabu has been growing in popularity as one of the leaders in the Iga pottery tradition since the first time I saw his work nearly 20 years ago when visiting the family showroom in Iga village.  Born in 1973 in Osaka son of the second generation artist and one of the leading revivalists of the Iga tradition in post war Japan, Atarashi Kanji.  He graduated the literature department of Kansai University in 1995, moving to apprentice under his father a few years later.  In 2002 he built his first anagama Kiln, and held his first of a multitude of solo exhibitions.  Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain.  His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his fathers tradition into the 21st century.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atarashi Manabu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49647665185015,"sku":"MC901","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-07-2703.31.19_605b2121-9a45-482c-9d8b-fb9c17c8268b.jpg?v=1759719982"},{"product_id":"spectacular-iga-shinogi-dish-ー新-学-伊賀-鎬皿","title":"Spectacular Iga Shinogi Dish ー新 学 \"伊賀 鎬皿\"","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA fabulous plate with brooding ash covering the ragged surface by Atarashi Manabu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Shinogi Zara. Shinogi is this method of cutting away portions of the surface, in this case in long slices which allows the natural ash glaze a foot hold as it blows through the kiln, and as it cools, allows the molten ash to flow and create striking patterns on the surface. It is 28 × 28 × 6 cm (11 x 11 x 2-1\/2 inches) and in new condition, directly from the artist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAtarashi Manabu has been growing in popularity as one of the leaders in the Iga pottery tradition since the first time I saw his work nearly 20 years ago when visiting the family showroom in Iga village.  Born in 1973 in Osaka son of the second generation artist and one of the leading revivalists of the Iga tradition in post war Japan, Atarashi Kanji.  He graduated the literature department of Kansai University in 1995, moving to apprentice under his father a few years later.  In 2002 he built his first anagama Kiln, and held his first of a multitude of solo exhibitions.  Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain.  His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his fathers tradition into the 21st century.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atarashi Manabu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49704429519095,"sku":"MC899","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-07-2705.26.5512copy.jpg?v=1748053172"},{"product_id":"skeletal-work-vase-ー加藤-好康","title":"“Skeletal Work Vase” ー加藤 好康","description":"\u003cp\u003eA sheer white porcelain cylinder pierced with a long narrow vase for a single flower by Kato Yoshiyasu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Skeletal Work Vase. It is 10 cm (4 inches) diameter, 21.5 cm (8-1\/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist this year.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in Aichi Prefecture in 1985, Kato Yoshiyasu graduated from the Department of Craft and Design at Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts in 2008, and went on to complete advanced studies at the progressive Tajimi City Ishoken Ceramics Research Facility in 2014. In 2018, he established his own studio in Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture. His creations are known for their delicate sculptural forms and functional beauty. He creates his work using a technique called slip casting, a technique typically used for mass production. He was initially drawn to slip casting because it allowed him to create clean, non-rotational forms. However, he gradually realized that this technique offers many expressive possibilities that cannot be achieved through other methods. Since 2014, he has participated in numerous juried exhibitions in Japan. Among many accolades, in 2024, he was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 13th International Ceramics Exhibition Mino, affirming his status as a highly accomplished artist in the world of ceramics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003eartist, design, keramic, keramik, Céramique\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kato Yoshiyasu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49761473659127,"sku":"MC1548","price":699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-04-0806.48.38_2.jpg?v=1750650682"},{"product_id":"uchidashi-hand-formed-iron-hannya-demon-mask","title":"Uchidashi Hand Formed Iron Hannya Demon Mask","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn uchidashi mask of a vengeful spirit hammer-formed from a single sheet of metal with the addition of the two horns in the style of the Myochin armor school metalworkers of the late Edo period.  It is 21.5 x 16 x 7.5 cm (8-1\/2 x 6-1\/4 x 3 inches) and is in excellent original condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the dawn of the modern age, metalworkers who had traditionally been employed in the armor industry found themselves redundant in a time of guns and uniforms.  Many reinvented themselves, transferring from arms and armor supplying the samurai to art-crafts supplying a burgeoning new population of middle class and foreign collectors found in the export market.  Uchidashi crafts of hand formed iron, copper, brass and silver were incredibly popular, iron, being the hardest to work with, considered at the pinnacle of this craft.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49812306460919,"sku":"K856","price":1850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-0304.05.44.jpg?v=1751080869"},{"product_id":"exquisite-lacquer-box-ー服部-俊昭-螺鈿小箱-彩歌","title":"Exquisite Lacquer Box ー服部 俊昭 “螺鈿小箱 彩歌”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautiful geometric design covers this lacquer box by Hattori Shunsho enclosed in the original signed wooden storage box.  It is 11 x 15 x 3.5 cm (4-1\/4 x 6 x 1-1\/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHattori Shunshō (1943–2018) was born in Kyoto, and studied under leading lacquer masters Uehara Kiyoshi and Banura Shōgo. In 1963, he was first accepted into the Nitten Exhibition, marking the beginning of a distinguished career. He continued to exhibit his work at Nitten and other prestigious exhibitions, earning many accolades. He refined his skills by traveling across Europe, the United States, China, and South Korea. From 1970 to 1978, he was an active member of Forme, a collective of young Kyoto-based lacquer artists. Until the 1980s, his work primarily consisted of two-dimensional lacquer panels. However, he later shifted his focus toward crafting decorative shelves and boxes. His signature style—incorporating the iridescent brilliance of raden (mother-of-pearl, particularly yōgai)—became a defining feature of his later works. In 1995 (Heisei 7), he had an audience with Pope John Paul II and presented him with a lacquered bookstand. In 2004, he created furnishings for the state guest room of the Kyoto State Guest House. At the time of his passing, he served as a counselor for Nitten, an executive director of the Nikko Association, and a member of the Kyoto Prefectural Craft Artists’ Association, the Kyoto Lacquer Artists’ Association, and Sōkōkai.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublic Collections: Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto City Kyocera Museum, Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Musuem, Kyoto International Foundation, Chanoyu museum (Hida Takayama), Sunritz Hattori Museum of Arts, Denver Art Museum.\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hattori Shunsho","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49812383269111,"sku":"K852","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-0303.47.17.jpg?v=1752627771"},{"product_id":"lacquer-poem-card-box-fireflies-ー吉田-宗閑-漆蛍蒔絵-色紙筥-壱","title":"Lacquer Poem Card Box, Fireflies ー吉田 宗閑 “漆蛍蒔絵 色紙筥 壱”","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe iridescent wings of fireflies glow softly in the light of the insects tails as they hover in the twilight darkness among reeds along the river on this exquisite box by Yoshida Sokan enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The wings are inlayed mother of pearl, the rest iro-urushi (colored lacquer) dusted with highlights of gold. The box is 28 x 31 x 5 cm (11 x 12-1\/2 x 2 inches) and in excellent condition. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yoshida Sokan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49812393492727,"sku":"K872","price":1800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-1805.46.29.jpg?v=1752654950"},{"product_id":"superb-lacquer-natsume-momiji-ー𠮷田-華正","title":"Superb Lacquer Natsume, Momiji ー𠮷田 華正","description":"\u003cp\u003eBeautiful maple leaves in green and gold spotted with morning dew formed by mother of pearl decorate the pastel colors on this Natsume Tea Caddy by Yoshita Kasho enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The approach is unique, the gray and cream-colored surface is performed with colored Urushinoko, or powdered lacquer sprinkled over wet lacquer, creating a matte texture and finish which perfectly sets off the striking golden autumn leaves. It is 6.7 cm (2-3\/4 inches) tall, roughly the same diameter and is in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoshita Kasho was born the first son of Maki-e Artist Yoshita Eisaku in 1940, and has exhibited and been awarded at any number of important contemporary craft and lacquer exhibitions. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yoshita Kasho","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49812585709815,"sku":"K811","price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-04-03_11.40.09.jpg?v=1752974444"},{"product_id":"contemporary-shingu-sayaka-vase-ー新宮-さやか-萼容花入","title":"Contemporary Shingu Sayaka Vase ー新宮 さやか \"萼容花入\"","description":"\u003cp\u003eA tall trumpeting form by important contemporary potter Shingu Sayaka enclosed in the original signed wooden box.   It is 16.5 cm (6-1\/2 inches) diameter, 32.5 cm (13 inches) tall and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShingu Sayaka was born in Osaka, the industrial and commercial heartland of central Japan, in 1979. She graduated the Osaka University of Arts in 2001, before being selected as an artist in residence at the The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park. She exhibits her amazing sculptures at the Asahi Togeiten where she has garnered a number of awards, and has a list of exhibitions to back up her popularity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shingu Sayaka","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49828178821367,"sku":"MC781","price":2100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2024-04-2702.48.05copy.jpg?v=1751699801"},{"product_id":"spectacular-wakasa-stacking-lacquer-jubako-box","title":"Spectacular Wakasa Stacking Lacquer Jubako Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eA breathtaking set of stacking boxes from the Wakasa tradition dating from the mid 20th century enclosed in the original wooden box titled Wakasa-nuri Takadai Tsuki Go Dan Ju.  The box is: 24 x 23  x 35.5 cm (9-1\/2 x 9-1:4 x 16 inches), the stand is 29.5 x 29 x 12 cm (roughly 11-1\/2 x 11-1\/2 x 5 inches) and all is in excellent condition.\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Century',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49852676964599,"sku":"K896","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-2904.19.16.jpg?v=1752627568"},{"product_id":"chawan-tea-bowl-ー宮川-真葛-香山-雪中梅畫-茶碗","title":"Chawan Tea Bowl ー宮川 (真葛) 香山 “雪中梅畫 茶碗”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautiful bowl wrapped with the ancient boughs of a blossoming red plum under a blanket of late winter snow by Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kenzen-I Yuki-chu Ume no Ga. It is 15 cm  (6 inches) diameter, 6 cm (2-1\/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe name Kozan was granted by Prince Yasui-no-Miya in 1851 in honor of the tea ware produced during the later Edo for the imperial Court by the tenth generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. The Kozan (Makuzu) kiln as we know it today was established in Yokohama in 1871 by the 11th generation head of the family where he reinvented the family business. He immediately set out on a journey which would propel the Kozan name to International Celebrity status, and send his wares throughout the globe. Pieces produced there were marked Kozan, or Makuzu, the official kiln name, or both. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one year mourning for his fathers passing. Under Hanzan the kiln was commissioned for works to be presented to the Prince of Wales, the 25th wedding anniversary gift for the Taisho emperor and the Showa Emperors coronation gift. The kiln was completely destroyed in the bombing of Yokohama in 1945. For more on this illustrious family see Bridging East and West, Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio by Kathleen Emerson-Dell.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49852678963447,"sku":"K894","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-2903.19.15.jpg?v=1752541996"},{"product_id":"17th-c-tri-legged-antique-japanese-lacquer-tray-with-gold-design-ー時代蒔絵香盆","title":"17th c. Tri-legged Antique Japanese Lacquer Tray with Gold Design ー時代蒔絵香盆","description":"\u003cp\u003eShippo Moyo and a five star family crest decorate this Momoyama to early Edo lacquer tray enclosed in an ancient box identifying the piece then as a Jidai Maki-e Kobon (Old Maki-e Lacquered Incense Tray) meaning the tray was already old when the box was made. It is black on top, with gold designs in hira-makie with a black rim, supported on three feet lacquered a vibrant cinnabar beneath.  The tray is 31 cm (12 inches) diameter, 12.5 cm (5 inches) tall.  There is a very old lacquer repair to a crack in one leg , and wear typical of use, however the surface is smooth with no chips or cracks, showing the reverence with which it was cared for.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49852688236791,"sku":"K893","price":900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-29_08.42.51_close.jpg?v=1752638973"},{"product_id":"toyoraku-yaki-lacquered-ceramic-jubako-stacking-box-ー豊楽焼重箱","title":"Toyoraku Yaki Lacquered Ceramic Jubako Stacking Box ー豊楽焼重箱","description":"\u003cp\u003eDark lacquer covered in fine red and gold designs covers the outside of this ceramic set of stacking boxes from the Toyoraku Tradition. True to form, the interior is decorated in the Oribe style with pine boughs and green clouds over a cream-colored glaze.  The box is 13 x 13 x 16 cm (roughly 5 x 5 x 6-1\/2 inches) and is in overall excellent condition, in an old wooden storage box.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Toyoraku tradition began in the mid 1700s, however it was the fourth generation head of the household (Toyosuke IV 1813~1858) who moved the kiln to Kamimaezu in Nagoya and began applying lacquer and Maki-e to the works. He was succeeded by his son, Toyosuke V (d. 1885) who passed the kiln to his own son Toyosuke VI, (d. 1917), who was highly lauded in his lifetime and made pottery on order of the Meiji emperor, his pieces being selected for international exhibition. The family lineage ended in the Taisho period.\u003cbr\u003eAccording to Yasuhiro Nakano, Assistant Director of the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum: “Toyoraku ware is a soft pottery which was produced in Maezu in the southern part of Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, for more than 130 years from the late Edo period to the Taisho era”. Also called \"Horakuyaki\", it is characterized by floral imagery with splashes of green copper glaze.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first generation in its production was Kato Rikei (1708-1796) a potter from Kyoto who settled in Owari province specializing in Raku ware and tea ceremony accoutrements.  He was briefly succeeded by the second generation Toyohachi who passed away in 1801, leaving the kiln to the third generation Toyosuke, (1779-1864) who took his mother’s surname Daiki and subsequent generations were all called Daiki Toyosuke. Toyosuke expanded greatly the family line from orthodox whisked tea (maccha) wares into the steeped tea wares including Oribe styles.\u003cbr\u003eIt was however, the pivotal fourth generation (1813-1858) who would change everything.  A renaissance man, he was a student of calligraphy and tea under Tenmanya Kyokuzen and wrote Haiku poetry under the tutelage of Yoshiwara Kozan. He was a highly skilled potter and versed in lacquer production and design techniques of inlay and maki-e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToyosuke IV began applying lacquer to the ceramic works, and it is this innovation for which Toyoraku is best remembered today.  Important local luminaries such as Tanaka Totsugen (1767-1823), Watanabe Kiyoshi (1778-1861), and Kondo Fuzan (1806-1856) are known to have decorated the works of Toyosuke III and IV.\u003cbr\u003eThe kiln received the name Toyoraku from Tokugawa Naritaka and was designated an official kiln (Goyogama) of the Owari Tokugawa feudal lords (kin to the Shogun) in December 1842.\u003cbr\u003eUnfortunately, Toyosuke IV passed away at just 45 years old, but his innovation was carried on by subsequent generations and his students.  At that time, his son, Tokusaburo (1848-1917), was only 10 years old, and too young to take over family matters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fifth generation (d. 1886) excelled in the lacquer technique, and although little is known of his personal life, work by him signed the 85 year old man shows that he must have been born before Toyosuke IV, and was probably selected from among the kiln staff to run the kiln in lieu of the young Tokusaburo.  Under the fifth generation the lacquer works took on an opulence not previously known.  It is likely that much of the maki-e was farmed out to professional maki-e-shi, and he expanded into more unusual shapes not strictly based on previous wooden forms.  He also developed a unique pink color theretofore unknown.  It is clear from this that the kiln was enjoying great success. \u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u003cbr\u003eWith the collapse of the Shogunate and the end of the medieval system, the kiln lost its official backing with the local feudal lord.  The kiln sought to persevere through the turbulent transition era, and was granted Imperial patronage in Meiji 9.\u003cbr\u003eThe kiln made such a stir that Edward Morse visited during his 1882 research trip to Nagoya.  Morse had much interest in Japanese ceramics, assembling a collection of over 5,000 pieces of both contemporary and folk pottery now divided between the Museum of Fine Art in Boston and the Peabody Essex museum.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout this same time, Toyosuke V passed away, handing the reins to Toyosuke VI (1848-1917) who actively exhibited and garnered prizes at exhibitions inside and outside Japan. He was awarded at the 1st and 2nd Domestic Industrial Art Exhibitions ((Naikoku Hakurankai 1877 \u0026amp; 1881 respectively).  Works were hailed at the Paris Exposition of 1878.  Highly lauded in his lifetime he made pottery on order of the Meiji emperor.   \u003cbr\u003eHis eldest son, Kanehiko (Toyosuke VII), died in the 4th year of the Taisho era (1915), and Tokusaburo, having outlived his son, died in 1917.  His younger son, the last Toyosuke, Yatsushiro, died shortly thereafter in 1918, and the kiln closed.\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Century',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49852716450039,"sku":"K892","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-06-2903.34.12.jpg?v=1752639091"},{"product_id":"engraved-cinnabar-lacquer-kikyoku-sencha-tea-cabinet-ー朱毛彫器局","title":"Engraved Cinnabar Lacquer Kikyoku Sencha Tea Cabinet ー朱毛彫器局","description":"\u003cp\u003eA superb cabinet for storing Sencha Steeped Tea implements covered in red lacquer and minutely engraved with floral imagery. It is 29.5 x 22.5 x 19 cm (12 x 9 x 8-1\/2 inches) and is in excellent condition, enclosed in a wooden storage box titled Shu Kebori Kikyoku.  It comes with a boxed service tray lacquered in the same style, also in excellent condition.  The tray is 26 x 18 x 1.5 cm (10-1\/2 x 7 x ¾ inches).  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49852730179831,"sku":"K891","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-07-1404.45.52.jpg?v=1752653744"},{"product_id":"contemporary-stylish-lacquer-vase-by-kyuho","title":"Contemporary Stylish Lacquer Vase by Kyuho","description":"\u003cp\u003eA modernist Lacquer Vase in red and black in the shape of a traditional Jizai Kagi (a wooden implement used over the hearth in a traditional home) signed Kyuho. It is 12.5 x 22 x 30 cm (5 x 9 x 12 inches) and in excellent condition. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49854830444791,"sku":"K913","price":850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-07-1504.13.57.jpg?v=1752902797"},{"product_id":"set-of-5-dutch-glass-vessels-from-nakai-riken-collection","title":"Set of 5 Dutch Glass Vessels from Nakai Riken Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003eAntique, Japanese, A set of 5 rare Dutch glass cups imported to Japan in the Edo period and formerly owned by the Confucian scholar Nakai Riken (1732-1817).  They are enclosed in a custom made double sided wooden box with drop in doors titled on the side Yoi-O-Gozui (Five fortuitous ways to be drunken) with a long verse carved into each door.  Of course, the meaning of the title goes much deeper, and the Gozui is also a Confucian concept.  The emperor of China distributed five jade treasures to the five feudal lords, and they were named.  The scholar has named each of the cups after one of these jade objects, Ko, Yu, Haku, Shi and Dan.  The Osaka University Professor Ueda Minoru researched Riken, and mentions the treasured set of five glass cups, the smallest with a golden rim, in his research of the scholars life and belongings, claiming them to be one of his most treasured items. The largest cup is 15 cm tall, the smallest 8 cm.  All is in overall excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNakai Riken (1732-1817) was a Confucian scholar of the later Edo period. He studied Neo-Confucianism under Goi Ranshu, and together with his older brother Nakai Chikuzan, supported Kaitokudo, a school of learning in Osaka, leaving behind the greatest academic achievements of the Kaitokudo school. the rational and modern academic style that is characteristic of Kaitokudo literati was established mainly by Riken. As a scholar he commented on the classics and wrote books such as \" Nanakyo Kadai,\" and \"Shichikyo Kadai Ryaku.\" These were compiled into a total of thirty-three volumesara. He was well versed not only in economics but also in natural sciences such as astronomy. Goryu Asada, who had studied Western astronomy in earnest, stayed with. He wrote an overview of the ming period book \"Tenkyo Arumon,\" by Yushiroku, and created a celestial map. In addition to astronomy, he also left a natural history map \"Sakura Cho\", an anatomical chart \"Etsuryofutsu\", and a microscope observation record \"Microscopic Record\". In addition, he wrote \"Kashokoku Monogatari\" (The Tale of Kashokoku), in which the protagonist was the king of a fictitious ideal nation, 'Kashokoku,' and discussed how the nation should be governed.  A prolific writer, he left a vast body of contextual research for subsequent generations.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49854846992631,"sku":"K914","price":2200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-07-1504.25.05_copy.jpg?v=1752903068"},{"product_id":"edo-p-wood-tray-carved-in-the-shape-of-a-torn-basket","title":"Edo p. Wood Tray Carved in the Shape of a Torn Basket","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exceptional wooden tray carved in the shape of a dilapidated bamboo basket signed on the underside and dated Bunsei 3 (1820) enclosed in an old wooden box.  It is 40 x 35.5 x 12.5 cm (16 x 14 x 5 inches) and in excellent condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925251989751,"sku":"K919","price":1700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0301.46.51copy.jpg?v=1755660155"},{"product_id":"antique-white-porcelain-hirado-koro-goose-ー水鳥香炉","title":"Antique White Porcelain Hirado Koro, Goose ー水鳥香炉","description":"\u003cp\u003eA sheer porcelain Koro in the shape of a goose dating from the later 19th to early 20th centuries, (Meiji-Taisho period and hailing from the porcelain kilns of Kyushu.  It is 23.5 x 14.5 x 21 cm (9-1\/2 x 5-3\/4 x 8-1\/4 inches) and in excellent condition, enclosed in an old wooden storage box titled Mizutori Koro.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925252088055,"sku":"K921","price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0301.53.24copy.jpg?v=1755660531"},{"product_id":"antique-kyushu-celadon-koro-incense-burner-with-silver-lid","title":"Antique Kyushu Celadon Koro Incense Burner with Silver Lid","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elegant bun shaped Koro on three spur legs capped by a silver lid pierced with butterflies from the kilns of Kyushu, the iron rich clay covered in a dark olive celadon glaze. It is 8.5 cm (3-1\/2 inches9 diameter, 7.5 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition, enclosed in a beautifully grained wooden box.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925304647927,"sku":"K922","price":999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0302.01.44copy.jpg?v=1755660619"},{"product_id":"kenzan-style-black-raku-koro-censer-with-silver-lid-ー乾山楽焼-香炉","title":"Kenzan Style Black Raku Koro Censer with Silver Lid ー乾山楽焼 香炉","description":"\u003cp\u003eA black Raku Koro incense burner with a flaring shoulder raised on three small feet capped with a silver lid pierced with phoenix (Ho-o) with a floral spray on one side, the opposite signed Kenzan enclosed in a period black lacquere wooden box titled Kenzan-yaki Koro. It is 9 cm (3-1\/2 inches) diameter, 10 cm (4 inches tall and in excellent condition. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925307302135,"sku":"K923","price":850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0302.09.34copy.jpg?v=1754729353"},{"product_id":"antique-japanese-porcelain-kutani-censer-with-silver-lid-ー古九谷筒形香炉","title":"Antique Japanese Porcelain Kutani Censer with Silver Lid ー古九谷筒形香炉","description":"\u003cp\u003eA small porcelain incense burner covered in red latticework around landscape windows capped with a beutifuly worked silver lid  enclosed in an old age-darkened wooden box titled Ko-Kutani Tsutsugata Koro.  The solid silver lid is beautifuly crafted, pierced with floral designs in vivid relief. It is 6.8 cm (2-3\/4 inches) diameter, 7.5 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925307334903,"sku":"K924","price":650.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0303.00.53copy.jpg?v=1755660741"},{"product_id":"antique-bronze-and-silver-koro-inense-burner-ito-maki-ー糸巻香炉","title":"Antique, Bronze and Silver Koro Inense Burner, Ito-maki ー糸巻香炉","description":"\u003cp\u003eA bronze incense burner in the shape of an Ito-maki yarn-spool with pierced silver lid enclosed in an old black lacquered wooden box.  It is 10 x 10 x 10 cm (roughly a 4 inch cube). Cast from bronze, both the body and the silver lid are in excellent condition. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925307498743,"sku":"K925","price":1250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0302.18.00copy.jpg?v=1754729476"},{"product_id":"antique-japanese-kiji-maki-e-lacquer-suzuri-bako-writing-box","title":"Antique Japanese Kiji-Maki-e Lacquer Suzuri Bako Writing Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking writing box of dark kiri-wood decorated with lead and gold and colored lacquer with a cluster of decaying autumn leaves. Inside is mellow, un-polished black containing a gold rimmed ink stone (suzuri-ishi), water dropper (suiteki) and a reed brush.  It is 23 x 18.5 x 5 cm (9 x 7 x 2 inches). Dating from the early 20th century, it appears to have never been used.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925318607095,"sku":"K930","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0302.52.50copy.jpg?v=1755660844"},{"product_id":"antique-japanese-ikkan-bari-dry-lacquer-chawan-tea-bowl","title":"Antique Japanese Ikkan-bari Dry-Lacquer Chawan Tea Bowl","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Chawan made in the dry lacquer technique to imitate the appearance of a roughly fired pottery tea bowl enclosed in a period wooden box dating from the mid Edo (18th -19th century) in the style of Ikkan.  There is a seal visible in the base, however it is illegible.  The bowl is 10 cm (4 inches) diameter, 6 cm (2-1\/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. It comes in an ancient wooden box with an old paper label upon which is written Ikkanbari Chawan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe term Ikkan in the title is after Hirai Ikkan, who mastered the technique of creating lacquered receptacles which were incredibly durable and did not warp or deform with time. Hirai Ikkan was a Ming Dynasty lacquer artist who crossed to Japan seeking safety from war-torn China in the 1620s, in the early Edo period. The craft of Ikkanbari began when he came up with an original approach to combine high quality Washi paper with his own lacquerware skills. While the technique was originally intended to afford greater durability to implements for daily use, they came to the attention of Sen no Sōtan, the third-generation successor of Sen no Rikyu, prominent figure in the art of the tea ceremony, when Ikkan visited Daitokuji-temple in Kyoto, and the technique was subsequently used to make tea ceremony implements. At this point, the craft of Ikkanbari was divided into two houses. One, the house of Hiki, focused on making tea ceremony implements as one of ten suppliers for the Sen family, while the house of Hirai continued to make implements for daily life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925366841591,"sku":"K928","price":750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2025-08-0306.21.27copy.jpg?v=1754729841"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/collections\/2025-12-0806.05.23.jpg?v=1766739068","url":"https:\/\/kuramonzen.com\/collections\/kogei-crafts.oembed?page=16","provider":"Kura Monzen Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}