OrientalTeabox

17/06/2026

17/06/2026

A Four-Sided Hagi Ware Flower Vase by Yamato Yasuo (大和保男).

With its tall architectural silhouette and richly textured surface, this striking vase exemplifies the quiet power of contemporary Hagi ware. Rising from a square base to a narrow circular mouth, the form balances sculptural presence with elegant restraint.

Layers of soft ivory, blush, amber, and honey-toned glaze interact with incised markings and subtle fire effects, creating a surface that rewards close observation. Fine crackles and exposed clay reveal the intimate dialogue between earth, glaze, and flame that lies at the heart of Hagi ceramics.

Perfect for a single branch or seasonal arrangement, the vase embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi—finding beauty in irregularity, impermanence, and natural variation. Even when empty, it stands as a compelling sculptural object in its own right.

Accompanied by its original signed tomobako.

ceremony

17/06/2026

A Bizen Ibe Tokkuri by Taku Mamoru (多久守).

This elegant vessel embodies the enduring appeal of Bizen ware, one of Japan’s oldest and most revered ceramic traditions. Fired without glaze in a wood-burning kiln, its surface records the direct interaction of flame, ash, and clay, producing rich amber, chocolate-brown, and charcoal tones that can never be repeated.

The classic rounded form and gently flared neck reflect centuries of refinement, while the dramatic natural firing effects reveal the artist’s mastery of kiln placement and atmosphere. Equally suited as a sake flask, flower vessel, or sculptural object, the piece possesses the quiet strength and understated beauty that define the finest Bizen ceramics.

Presented with its original signed tomobako.

16/06/2026

Ahead of Father’s Day, consider gifts shaped by longevity and daily use. A tea bowl, sake vessel or wood fired cup carries meaning through ritual and touch. Explore ceramics that become part of everyday life while reflecting craftsmanship, character and quiet presence.

https://buff.ly/tgaN7us

16/06/2026

A Tokkuri flask by Taro Kamoda.

Although rooted in the traditional sake vessel form, this work reveals Kamoda’s highly individual visual language—where structure, rhythm, and colour take precedence over convention.

The body is defined by deep vertical fluting, each channel filled with richly layered glazes in cobalt blue, emerald green, amber, ochre, and iron brown. The result is a dynamic interplay of colour and texture, almost musical in its repetition and variation. In contrast, the ivory-toned neck and shoulder offer a quiet visual pause, balancing the intensity below.

This tension between order and expression reflects Kamoda’s broader practice, where geometric precision meets painterly spontaneity. Accompanied by its original tomobako and impressed seal.

16/06/2026

A Shino Chawan (志野茶碗) by Ryoji Hayashi.

This finely crafted tea bowl embodies the enduring beauty of the Mino ceramic tradition. Covered in a thick feldspathic Shino glaze, the surface reveals a rich landscape of pinholing, crater-like textures, iron-painted decoration, and warm flashes of hi-iro created by the kiln fire. The interaction between glaze, clay, and flame gives the work a spontaneous and deeply expressive character.

Its softly irregular form and generous proportions reflect the wabi-sabi aesthetic, celebrating natural asymmetry, subtle imperfections, and the quiet beauty of the firing process. Equally suited for tea practice and display, the bowl exemplifies Hayashi’s refined interpretation of one of Japan’s most beloved ceramic traditions.

Ryoji Hayashi, a third-generation potter of the Shozan kiln in Gifu Prefecture, has devoted his career to the study and preservation of Shino ware, earning recognition through numerous exhibitions across Japan.

15/06/2026

An Akahada Ware Chawan with Enso Motif (円相文赤膚茶碗)

A remarkable collaboration between the Onishi Rakusai lineage of Akahada ware potters and the celebrated Buddhist monk, artist, and calligrapher Shimizu Kōshō (1911–1999), the 208th Chief Abbot of Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara.

The bowl is adorned with a bold red enso—the Zen circle symbolizing enlightenment, completeness, and the infinite nature of existence. Emerging through a soft ivory glaze over warm reddish clay, the expressive motif transforms this tea bowl into both a functional vessel and a meditation on Zen philosophy.

Its generously potted form, subtle glaze variations, and tactile surface embody the quiet beauty and refinement for which Akahada ware is renowned. Accompanied by its original signed tomobako, this is a work that beautifully bridges the worlds of tea, spirituality, and Japanese ceramic tradition.