OrientalTeabox

03/09/2026

What connects Bizen, Tamba, Shigaraki, Tokoname, Echizen and Seto? Together they are known as Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, ceramic centres whose histories stretch back centuries. Explore how regional clay, firing traditions and generations of makers created distinctly different ceramic identities that continue to influence Japanese pottery today.

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01/09/2026

Discover the dramatic ceramics of Nobuhito Nakaoka (仲岡信人), a contemporary artist working within the centuries old Tamba tradition. His hikidashi g**o chawan is removed from the kiln at high temperature and rapidly cooled, producing an intense black surface that gives the tea bowl its powerful sculptural presence.

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31/08/2026

Four centuries of lineage in the palm of your hand.

This tactile Nezumi Shino (Mouse-grey Shino) cup by Hon'ami Kōsen (本阿弥光仙, 1900–1985) is a masterclass in wabi-sabi ceramic sculpture.

Kōsen was the 15th-generation direct descendant of Hon'ami Kōetsu (1558–1637)—the legendary Momoyama-era polymath and master potter. Before World War II, Kōsen carried on his family's multi-century trade as an elite sword polisher and appraiser. Post-war, he established the Hon'ami Kiln (本阿弥窯), creating hand-formed ceramics that earned the deep trust of the prestigious Senke tea schools.

Carved by hand (te-tsukune), the dark iron slip is incised with bold white geometric patterns under a thick, pinholed feldspathic glaze. Perfectly sized for a quiet cup of tea (yunomi) or fine sake (guinomi).

Includes its original signed calligraphic wooden box (tomobako).

Dimensions: ~6.0–6.5cm (W) × 4.5cm (H)

31/08/2026

31/08/2026

Modern architecture forged in bronze

This striking Shudo bronze single-flower vase (Ichirinike / 朱銅一輪生) by Hasuda Shugoro (蓮田修吾郎) is a masterclass in modern Japanese metal sculpture.

Crafted during the Showa Era, its architectural silhouette pairs a gently squared base with an extraordinarily long, slender neck. The surface is finished in a warm vermilion-bronze patina (shudo), accented by subtle asymmetrical linear details across the lower body.

Hasuda Shugoro (1915–2010) was one of 20th-century Japan’s most celebrated metal artists, recipient of the prestigious Order of Culture, and a pioneer in blending traditional casting with mid-century modern design.

Includes its original signed wooden box (tomobako).

Dimensions: 30.0cm (H) × 12.5cm (W)

28/08/2026

Architecture meets fire and earth

This striking Shino ware incense burner (Koro / 志野香炉) by renowned Mino ceramic master Kato Toyohisa (加藤豊久 / 土代久) seamlessly bridges centuries-old tradition with modern sculptural form.

Dating from the Heisei Era, the vessel’s faceted, almost architectural body is enveloped in a thick, milky-white feldspathic glaze, contrasted by dramatic flashes of fiery orange-red iron clay (hizuki) along its edges and recesses. Topped with a swirling, deeply carved spiral lid, it shifts in character from every angle.

Dimensions: 14.0cm (H) × 15.2cm (W) × 13.6cm (D)

27/08/2026

The surface of a bronze work can be as important as its form. Japanese metal artists have developed sophisticated patination techniques using carefully controlled chemical reactions to create an extraordinary range of colours and textures. These surfaces give bronze depth and character, allowing light, texture and colour to continually change how an object is perceived.

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27/08/2026

This Seiji Chawan (celadon tea bowl) Soft Demeanor by master ceramicist Masayuki Uraguchi (浦口雅行) is a study in tranquility.

From its luminous, ice-blue glaze to the delicate web of iron-red crackle lines (kannuri) veining across the surface, every detail reflects a deep mastery of heat, clay, and form. Framed by a subtle rust-toned kuchibeni rim, it fits seamlessly into the hands for tea ceremony—or stands alone as a striking piece of Japanese ceramic art.

Dimensions: 7.5cm (H) × 13.1cm (W) × 12.7cm (D)

25/08/2026

Kitaoji Rosanjin (北大路魯山人, 1883–1959) was one of the most influential figures in twentieth century Japanese ceramics. An artist, calligrapher, ceramicist and celebrated gastronome, Rosanjin believed that ceramics and food should be experienced together. Drawing inspiration from historic traditions including Oribe, Shino, Bizen and Karatsu, he reinterpreted classical forms with a distinctly expressive and individual approach. His work helped reshape modern Japanese ceramics, demonstrating that vessels made for everyday use could also be powerful works of artistic expression.

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