The Kura - Japanese Art Treasures
Robert Mangold has been working with Japanese antiques since 1995 with an emphasis on ceramics, Paintings, Armour and Buddhist furniture.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1930 item #1490803
The Kura
$450.00
An elegant tall vase in signature soft blue by Shinjo Tozan III of Yamagata enclosed in the original singed wooden box dating from the early half of the 20th century titled Yohen Kabin. It is 15cm (6 inches) diametr, 41cm (16 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Higashiyama (alternatively read Tozan) is the common name for the hilly area in the eastern part of Shinjo City, Yamagata prefecture, and the geology of the village is covered with a thick layer of clay. Yahei Wakui, (1801-1872) the founder of Higashiyama ware, was a potter from Kosugi in Echigo, modern day Toyama prefecture. While traveling the country for training, he fell in love with the clay of Higashiyama, and in 1841 opened a pottery as the official kiln for the Shinjo Tozawa clan.
The third generation Yahei was born on January 29, 1896, as the second son of Yahei II. From an early age, he learned pottery skills from his father and helped the family business. The era in which the third generation Yahei was active was a time of great change, including the global recession after World War I, the Sino-Japanese and the Pacific War. Utilizing the characteristics of Higashiyama's clay, he produced earthenware pots, yukihira, suribachi, blanched pots, kataguchi, and other miscellaneous everyday utensils, and laid the foundation for the fame of today's "Higashiyama ware." The folk-ware researcher Yanagi Soetsu, who was exposed to the pottery of the third generation of Yabe, writes in his book ``Japan of Handicrafts'' that ``They used a beautiful bluish sea cucumber glaze to fire earthenware pots...'' (Omitted) As an earthenware pot, it is said to be the most beautiful in Japan. Yahei III passed away on October 23, 1945 at the age of 73. Currently the 7th generation works alongside his father
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Porcelain : Pre 1930 item #1487710 (stock #OC019)
The Kura
sold, thank you
Reaching for his hat, the boatman leans out arms extended toward the prow, protected from the elements under a woven reed roof. This beautiful incense burner comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 24 x 8 x 10 cm (9-1/2 x 3-1/4 x 4 inches) and is in excellent condition.
The 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.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1930 item #1481960
The Kura
sold, thank you
A looping handle sweeps above this fabulous bowl decorated with burgeoning gourds by Takahashi Dohachi VI enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 21 x 18 x 15 cm (8 x 7 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Takahashi Dohachi VI (1881-1941) was born the second son of the 4th generation Dohachi in Kyoto. He was too young to succeed the family name upon his fathers early demise, and a a potter named Ogawa Yunosuke steered the helm as the 5th Dohachi until he too passed away in 1914. Dohachi VI took over in 1915. A close compatriot of Kiyomizu Rokubei V and Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan II, his work was presented to the Showa Emperor at his coronation.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1930 item #1481152
The Kura
sold, thank you
A pair of covered ceremonial Sake-Tsubo called Heiji decorated with the three auspicious winter plants, Sho-chiku-bai (Pine, bamboo and plum) by Ito Tozan II enclosed in the original wooden box Plum pine and bamboo rise up in a riot of color on the thinly crackled pale glaze covering the surface. Inside the box is dated Showa 11 (1936) 8th month, 9th day. Each is roughly 22 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition, each uniquely stamped on the base with the artist seal.
Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) began as a painter in the Maruyama school studying under Koizumi Togaku. In 1862 he became a pupil of Kameya Kyokutei, as well as studying under Takahashi Dohachi III nd Kanzan Denshichi (who made the dishes for the imperial table). In 1867, with the fall of the Edo government, he opened his kiln in Eastern Kyoto. Much prizd at home, he was also recognized abroad at the Amsterdam, Paris and Chicago World Expositions. With an emphasis on Awata and Asahi wares of Kyoto, he began to use the name Tozan around 1895. In 1917 he was named a member of the Imperial Art Academy, one of only five potters ever given that title.
Ito Tozan II (1871-1937) was born the fourth son of one of the upper level samurai of the Zeze feudal domain in Otsu, just over the mountains from Kyoto and began his artistic career as a painter. He was picked up by Tozan I and introduced to the plastic arts, where he flourished, taking over the Tozan kiln in 1920, following the death of his mentor.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Tea Articles : Pre 1930 item #1488432
The Kura
$950.00
Autumnal favorites, a basket of Mattake mushrooms and spiny cluster of chestnuts have been carved into the surface of this pine-wood tray by Ichikawa Shudo dated on back to early summer, 1915 and signed Kochikusai Shudo-to (Carved by Kochikusai Shudo). It is 49 x 31 x 3 cm (roughly 19-1/2 x 15-1/2 x 1 inches) and is in excellent condition. Ichikawa Shudo (1868-1933), also known as Shochikusai, brought unique characteristics to Himeji's wood crafts, leaving behind many elegant Sencha-style trays with his outstanding technique.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1930 item #1485652
The Kura
sold, thank you
A set of nesting bowls in the highly sought Taireiji style by Kiyomizu Rokubei V decorated with wild chrysanthemum in white on soft pink. Each bears an unusual six sided stamp reading Yunen. Undeniably Taireiji was the most important development by this innovative artist, and pieces are exceedingly rare. The larger bowl is 21.5 cm (8-1/2 inches) diameter10 cm (4 inches) tall and both are in excellent condition. They come in a later box annotated by the 6th Rokubei.
Kiyomizu Rokubei V (Shimizu Kuritaro, 1875-1959) initially studied painting and decorating technique under Kono Bairei, one of the foremost painters in Japan in the Meiji era. After graduating the Kyoto Municipal Special School of Painting, he took a position under his father at the family kiln however. That same year he exhibited his first work at the National Industrial Exposition. He was a co-founder of Yutoen with his father and Asai Chu, and worked ceaselessly to promote the pottery of Kyoto. He helped to establish the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility (Kyoto Tojiki Shikensho) at the turn of the century which would be the proving ground for many young artist of the era. Doctor Maezaki Shinya has noted that Teishitsu-Gigei-in (Imperial Art Academy Member) Seifu Yohei III also fired his acclaimed works in the Rokubei kiln in the Taisho era. Due to his father’s poor health Rokubei V took the reins unofficially in 1902, commanding the helm until assuming the name Rokubei V in 1913. It was in 1928 that Rokubei changed the reading of the family name from Shimizu to Kiyomizu and applied it retroactively to previous generations. He exhibited constantly, and garnered a great many awards. He worked to get crafts added to the National Art Exhibition (Bunten/Teiten) and served as a judge in 1927, the first year crafts were allowed. In 1937 he was designated a member of the Imperial Art Council (Teishitsu Bijutsu Inkai). Despite changes in the world around him Rokubei persevered, working in all manner of materials and styles. He retired in 1945, perhaps as exhausted as Japan was with the end of the war, or perhaps seeing that capitulation would signal a new era in need of new leaders and a new aesthetic. He passed the name Rokubei to his son and took the retirement name Rokuwa. Uncontainable he continued to create pottery under that name until his death in 1959. His influence is so pervasive he was voted one of the most important potters of the modern era by Honoho magazine, the preeminent quarterly devoted to Japanese pottery. A multitude of works by him are held in the The National Museums of Modern Art, both in Tokyo and Kyoto, the Kyoto Kyocera Museum, The Kyoto Hakubutsukan Museum and the Philadelphia Art Museum among others.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Tea Articles : Pre 1930 item #1486011
The Kura
$2,000.00
A lovely tray in the shape of a split lotus leaf by Ito Tetsugai enclosed in a period wooden box titled Sencha Shiki Habon. It is roughly 53 x 25 cm (20-1/2 x 10 inches), expertly carved to be incredibly thin. Trays like these were used as decorative objects in the service of steeped green tea, and were very popular from the Meiji through early Showa eras.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1920 item #1485958
The Kura
sold, thank you
An exquisite lacquered box covered in gold powder prominently bearing the imperial crest given as a gift to Baron Nakamura Satoru in Meiji 44 (1911). According to the inside of the lid this box was created for the Meiji emperor and given in gratitude to the Baron for his support in creating the Keanfu memorial for fallen soldiers of the Russo-Japanese war. The box is an exquisite example of Imperial splendor featuring leaves tinged with kiri-gane gold inlay over powdered gold on a surface dusted with gold and blue-gold powder. It is 20.5 x 24.5 x 13.5 cm (10 x 8 x 5-1/2 inches) and in perfect condition.
Baron Nakamura Satoru (18 March 1854 – 29 January 1925) was a career soldier in the early Imperial Japanese Army, serving during the Russo-Japanese War, and was an aide-de-camp to Emperor Taishō. He was born the second son of a samurai of Hikone (present-day Shiga Prefecture). Joining the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army in July 1871, he was promoted to corporal in November 1873. After attending the Imperial Army Academy, he was commissioned second lieutenant in November 1874. He fought as an officer in the 2nd Brigade during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 then was assigned to the Imperial Army General Staff Office from March 1879. After promotion to Major he became a battalion commander with the 10th Infantry Regiment. He served as an instructor at the Army Staff College from December 1889. Nakamura was appointed aide-de-camp to the Crown Prince (the future Emperor Taishō) in December 1891, and promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1892. During the First Sino-Japanese War, he served as Aide-de-camp to the Emperor of Japan from the end of October 1894 and was promoted to colonel in December of the same year. In April 1897, he was given command of the 46th Infantry Regiment, which served as a garrison force in Taiwan. He was promoted to major general in September 1899. From April 1900, he was chief-of-staff of the military bureau of the Governor-General of Taiwan. In March 1902, Nakamura was assigned command of the 2nd Brigade, which deployed to Manchuria in March 1904 as part of the Japanese Third Army at the start of the Russo-Japanese War. The unit served with distinction during the Battle of Nanshan. During the Siege of Port Arthur Nakamura led a force named the Shirodasukitai, after the distinctive white tasuki used for visibility and identification in the darkness of a pre-dawn attack. The Shirodasukitai assaulted the Russian fortifications three times, taking great casualties. Nakamura was himself wounded during the assault on the night of 26 November 1904, during which most of his 4,500 man unit was annihilated with no significant result.
He continued in command positions and in September 1907, he was made a baron (danshaku) in the kazoku peerage system. At the end of December 1908, he was once again Aide-de-camp to the Emperor of Japan. In September 1914, he served as resident-general of the Kwantung Leased Territory. In January 1915, he was promoted to full general. During World War I he was appointed to sit the Supreme War Council in 1917. On his death, he was posthumously awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1481896
The Kura
sold, thank you
A beautiful black Raku bowl with golden lightning splitting across the surface like an eruption of light in the night sky. It is roughly 12 cm (4-3/4 inches) diameter and in excellent condition. An exquisite repair.
Kintsugi embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic worldview centered around imperfection, transience, and the beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay. Embracing the flawed and broken aspects of an object through kintsugi is a way to appreciate the passage of time and the history of the object, recognizing that it gains value and character through its journey. Kintsugi aligns with traditional Japanese values of frugality and resourcefulness. Instead of discarding broken items, kintsugi repairs them, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. This approach reflects a profound respect for resources and a desire to cherish and honor the objects used in daily life. This is also a way to avoid offending the spirit of the object, as all items are embodied with a soul of some sort. The act of repairing broken pottery with gold-laced lacquer carries a symbolic message of resilience and overcoming adversity. The restored object becomes a metaphor for the human experience, highlighting that even after suffering damage or hardship, one can find beauty and strength through healing and renewal. In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony kintsugi plays a vital role in enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, especially during the tenth month. The practice of kintsugi encourages contemplation and introspection during the tea ceremony. Guests may be reminded of the impermanence of all things and the beauty that can arise from embracing life's scars and vulnerabilities. Overall, kintsugi holds a deep cultural and philosophical significance in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty in imperfection, respect for resources, and the resilience of both objects and individuals. In the context of the tea ceremony, it enriches the aesthetics and fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1485730
The Kura
sold, thank you
A Ko-Seto-yu Chaire Tea Container by Teishitsu Gigei-in Suwa Sozan I wrapped in a chord bound silk pouch enclosed in the original signed wooden box tied with deer leather, the box bearing the seal of the Imperial Art Academy. It is 5 cm (2 inches) tall and is in perfect condition.
Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1489008
The Kura
sold, thank you
A set of three Chin puppies by Miyagwa (Makuzu) Kozan II published in the book Miyagawa Kozan and the World of Makuzu Ware (Yokohama Museum of Art, 2001) page 144, figure 174. They are roughly 5 x 10 cm (2 x 4 inches) and in excellent condition. They come enclosed in the original signed wooden box.
The 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.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1920 item #1487456 (stock #LAC085)
The Kura
sold, thank you
A set of five Mokko-gata (elongated-lobed) kashi-zara wood dishes, each uniquely decorated with seasonal flora in raised lacquer with mother of pearl and lead inlay enclosed in an older wooden storage box. The artist has made excellent use of the natural wood grain, allowing it to fomr a backdrop like bushes and garden stones for the subdued tones of gold, silver and shimmering mother of pearl. Each dish is 18.5 x 14 cm (7-1/4 x 5-3/4 inches) and all are in excellent condition, dating from the early 20th century.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1920 item #1486054
The Kura
Price on Request
A spectacular Meiji to Taisho period Golden box decorated with a spray of flowers under an imperial Chrysanthemum. The interior and bottom are elegant Nashiji, and the border between box and lid is protected by a solid silver rim. Kirigane cut gold flakes decorate the raised leaves. It comes enclosed in a custom made kiri-wood storage box. The gilded receptacle is 30 x 24.5 x 14 cm (12 x 9-3/4 x 5-1/2 inches) and it is in excellent condition.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1920 item #1483162
The Kura
sold, thank you
The title does not lie, this is one against which all others might be measured. A celebratory sake set consisting of three cups and a stand enclosed in their original lacquered wooden boxes. The cups are over the top, decorated with plum pine and bamboo in taka-maki-e gold over red replete with bits of kirigane gold and ke-uchi details. The cups are equally gorgeous on top and bottom, the design extending even inside the foot ring. Roundels of the same designs are built up in gold and lacquer maki-e on the black lacquered stand, the inside of which is covered in Togidashi Nashiji. Along the edge of the stand are carefully placed bits of gold in a technique known as oki-hirame. The stand is 17 x 17 x 14.2 cm (6-3/4 x 6-3/4 x 5-1/2 inches). The cups are 9.8 cm (4 inches) 11.2 cm (4-1/2 inches) and 12.7 cm (5 inches) diameter respectively, and all are in excellent condition.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1490363 (stock #OC050)
The Kura
$900.00
Lotus rise, colorful leaves and golden flowers bursting open on this exquisitely crafted narrow vase with vivid colors decorating the rim and base in a complex Nishiki cloth pattern. The over-glaze enamels stand out clearly against the cream colored crackled glaze, floating as if on a summer zephyr. The vase is 24.8 cm (roughly 10 inches) tall and is in excellent condition, signed on the base Satsuma-Yaki, Satsuma-En, Toyoda Masanobu.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1473331 (stock #OC051)
The Kura
sold, thank you
A striking Peacock feather colored flambe glazed vase by Leading Kyoto Potter Uno Ninmatsu enclosed in a signed wooden box dated the 10th month of Showa 5 (October 1930). It is 28 cm tall and in excellent condition.
Uno Ninmatsu (1864-1937) was born in Kyoto son of potter Wada Sohei and studied under his father as well as from a young age Seifu Yohei II then future Imperial Art Academy artist Seifu Yohei III until setting up his own studio at the age of 21. Outgoing by comparison to the normal Kyoto ideal, he promoted Kyoto art and culture and actively sought to invigorate the export market (then dominated by Tokyo and Yokohama). He won a bronze medal at the Paris world exposition in 1901, and gold medal at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904, Belgium in 1905 and Milan the following year. Unlike other potters in Kyoto at this time, he did not overly decorate his works, but concentrated on matte glazes and form in austere glaze techniques. This proved very popular, and from the turn of the century his works were highly sought in the United States. He also worked closely with designers in France, where many of his works were exported. Following the first world war, he retired to the domestic market. He was deeply involved in silk road pottery research and mastered Shinsha (flambe glazes) as well as Turkish Blue and other styles not yet produced at that time in Kyoto. He was father and mentor to Uno Soyo and Uno Sango, and served as mentor to the young Isamu Noguchi.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1469330 (stock #OC070)
The Kura
sold, thank you
First we hear the clang of the hammer striking the bell, then the steadily approaching clop of his wooden shoes before the horrifying creature dressed in the robes of an itinerant priest appears; a ledger in one hand noting our sins. This is a very rare ceramic figurine by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Nenbutsu Oni and bearing the seal of the imperial Art Academy. It is 30 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition. He would have originally held a hammer, no longer extant. This summer, among other works by this artist, one of these sculptures, a one-eyed goblin, was on display at the Kyoto Kyocera Museum; part of their Imperial Art Academy Exhibition.
The Oni no Nenbutsu is one of the more popular figures from Otsu-e; a folk painting tradition from the town on the outskirts of Kyoto; the first or last stop coming to or leaving the capitol on the old Tokaido road. A pantheon of almost 200 characters, one of the most popular was the goblin, which came into vogue in the 18th century. Although the western goblin is a symbol of evil in religious iconography, in the Otsu-e tradition the symbol was used to satirize human folly and to remind people of the consequences of their actions. Other goblin images present remonstrations against arrogance, hypocrisy and carelessness. Utagawa Kuniyoshi created a woodblock print depicting the Otsu-e figures coming to life.
Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1920 item #1485950
The Kura
sold, thank you
Bats, symbol of good fortune, flit over the sunset surface of this Ki-seto vase by Kato Sakusuke enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kiseto Kabin. An inscription inside begins Fukuju ? Zu (Lucky ? Image) and appears to be dated 1919 in the 60 year cyclical Zodiac calendar (possibly 1859). This is followed by the signature of a painter who also signed and dated the vase, indicating Sakusuke made the vase, while another artist provided the decoration. It is 31 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition, retaining the original cloth pouch.
Kato Sakusuke I (Sakube, 1808-1893) was born into a family of potters in Owari (mod. Aichi Prefecture). He took over the family business as Kato Kagekiyo and was known for producing both Japanese and Western ceramics for daily use such as sake sets and tea sets. He took the name Sakusuke in his later years. He was succeeded by his son. Kato Sakusuke II (Keizaburo, 1844-1923). He was an avid collector of ancient pottery and devoted himself to researching its shape and techniques. At first he fired porcelain, but later he turned to his main occupation and skillfully copied old pottery such as Furu-seto (old seto ware), Kizeto, Oribe, Shino, Ofukai, and Mishima. He became a master craftsman of the Meiji era with a technique as good as that of his father Kagekiyo.