Sakai Hoju (酒井芳樹) – Kasama Ware Iron-Glazed Bud Vase, Japan - Ceramic - Sakai Hoju - Japan - Shōwa period (1926-1989)

– By Sakai Hoju (born 1950), founder of Itsuki-gama and a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association since 1986
– Rich iron glaze in charcoal-black and deep brown, with greenish-amber streaks, rusty highlights and rhythmic throwing lines
– Approximately 11 cm tall; a sculptural presence, beautiful with a single seasonal flower or simply on its own

Summary:

An expressive Kasama ware bud vase by Sakai Hoju (酒井芳樹), a Japanese ceramic artist celebrated for his bold forms and traditional glazes. Its rounded body, short neck and gently flared mouth are enriched by flowing iron glaze, shifting between dark earth tones and flashes of green and amber. Created in Kasama, northeast of Tokyo, it reflects a pottery tradition known for artistic freedom rather than rigid rules. At approximately 11 cm high, this intimate piece brings the warmth of Japanese studio pottery into a contemporary collection.

What can a single flower tell us about the landscape from which its vessel was born?

Imagine a quiet hillside in Kasama, where the changing seasons colour the woods and the earthy scent of clay fills a potter's workshop. Within the kiln, dark glaze begins to move across the surface of a small vessel. No two firings unfold in quite the same way. Perhaps this meeting of intention and chance fascinated the potter. We can only imagine.

Kasama lies in Ibaraki Prefecture, roughly 100 kilometres northeast of Tokyo. Its ceramic tradition began in the 1770s, influenced by Shigaraki pottery. Once associated with practical household vessels, Kasama gradually became a centre for individual artistic expression. Its iron-rich, granite-derived clay offers an earthy character well suited to expressive glazing. Unlike traditions governed by a fixed aesthetic, Kasama ware is celebrated for its freedom of style.

Sakai Hoju was born in 1950 in what is now Sakuragawa, Ibaraki. He established his own kiln in 1975 and moved to Kasama in 1982, developing his practice at Itsuki-gama (樹窯), surrounded by the peaceful satoyama landscape. His career includes participation in the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition from 1981 and full membership of the Japan Kōgei Association from 1986. In 2003, he also served as a pottery technical adviser for the Japanese film HAZAN, about ceramic artist Itaya Hazan.

Yet the charm of this little vase begins not with artistic honours, but with its surface.

Gentle horizontal ridges give the rounded body a pleasing rhythm. Across them, iron glaze gathers in dark, almost black passages before breaking into warm brown and rusty persimmon tones. Greenish-amber trails interrupt the darkness like fleeting reflections of moss or autumn light. Near the foot, the coarse, largely unglazed clay provides a tactile contrast. These subtle effects of fire and glaze give the piece its individual character.

Its form belongs to the Japanese tradition of ichirinzashi, a small vessel intended for a single flower. One slender branch, a wild grass or a seasonal blossom is enough. Imagine an autumn chrysanthemum rising from its dark mouth, or a delicate spring flower bringing colour into a quiet room. The vessel does not demand attention; it invites observation.

In a European interior, this vase would sit naturally on a walnut shelf, an oak sideboard or a mantel beside a favourite artwork. Its compact proportions suit even a modest space, while the interplay of dark glaze and warm clay gives it the presence of a small sculpture.

The vase has been carefully preserved, with very little apparent evidence of use. Natural variations in the glaze and firing marks around the lower body are characteristic of handmade stoneware and contribute to its distinctive appearance.

There is something rather moving about a vessel created to hold just one flower. Behind its modest size lies a tradition spanning more than two centuries and the experience of a potter who has spent decades exploring clay and fire. Perhaps its greatest charm is what remains unspoken.

A little more of this vase's story awaits its new owner.

This listing contains AI Visualisations. Please refer to the original photographs for the actual object condition.

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