Aka Shino Chawan 赤志野茶碗 - Kotaro Ihara 伊原光太郎 - Shōwa period (1926-1989)
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€ 25
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Selected by Giovanni Bottero
Holds a master’s in Japanese art history with over 10 years’ expertise in Asian art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Aka Shino Tea Bowl by Kotaro Ihara (Shōwa period, 1926–1989) with an iron-rich red glaze, hand-formed with an unglazed foot, dimensions 11.7 cm in diameter and 9 cm high, in excellent condition.
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Description from the seller
About the Works
Artist: Kotaro Ihara 伊原光太郎
Title of work: Aka Shino Chawan 赤志野茶碗
This work, “Aka Shino Tea Bowl,” is a highly evocative piece created by the renowned Japanese ceramic artist Kotaro Ihara. It employs the “Aka Shino” technique, one of the most admired styles within traditional Mino ware, characterized by a warm, iron-rich red glaze. The natural distortion and gentle contours born from hand-forming embody the spirit of wabi-sabi, making this a work that pursues the beauty of utility.
The glaze creates subtle variations in tone and sheen across the surface, conveying a delicate dialogue between flame and clay. On the interior, the glaze pools to produce a deep, expressive surface. The foot has been left unglazed, exposing fine wheel marks that clearly convey the traces of the artist’s hand. Beyond its practicality as a tea utensil, it is also a work of exceptionally high artistic quality from the perspective of contemporary ceramics.
Size:
Diameter: 11.7 cm
Height: 9 cm
Weight: 405 g
About the Artist
Kotaro Ihara was a ceramic artist based in Okayama Prefecture, known as the “genius of Okayama” for his highly individual approach to Shino and Karatsu-style tea bowls. Working mainly with Shino – especially Aka Shino – as well as iron-rich glazes and Karatsu-inspired surfaces, he focused on tea utensils such as matcha bowls, houhin teapots and yuzamashi water coolers, creating works that combine rustic clay textures with bold, expressive forms.
Ihara established his home and kiln near the Yoshii River embankment in the Saidaiji area on the eastern side of Okayama City, where he is said to have built a small kiln on his own property and devoted himself to both firing and research. Among local ceramic circles he has been remembered as “the late Kotaro Ihara, ceramic researcher,” suggesting that, in addition to producing his own work, he studied historical ceramics in depth and occasionally guided younger potters.
The hallmark of his style lies in an aesthetic that deliberately leaves distortions and roughness in the form, while taking full advantage of the expressive potential of Shino and related glazes. In his Aka Shino and iron-rich Shino tea bowls, as well as Karatsu-style pieces, the contrast between clay body, glaze tone and firing marks is strongly emphasized, resulting in works that foreground “wildness” and “tension” rather than conventional refinement. This uncompromising individuality underpins his reputation as a distinctive figure in the field of contemporary tea ceramics.
Appearance
Please see photos for details.
Shipping Information
Items are shipped from Japan via DHL or Japan Post.
A tracking number will be provided once the shipment has been dispatched.
Please note that we are unable to under-declare the value of an item or mark it as a gift for shipping purposes.
Obligations of the importer
Import duties, taxes and fees are not included in the bid price. These charges are the responsibility of the buyer. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be before bidding or purchasing.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Seller's Story
J ANTIQUE ART -YOKOHAMA-
Where Japan’s quiet traditions meet the sensitivity of contemporary craftsmanship.
We curate antiques and contemporary works that embody the essence of Japanese aesthetics — pieces shaped by time, intention, and the intimate dialogue between human hands and natural materials. Every work is selected for its authenticity, balance, and the quiet presence it holds.
Our focus is not quantity but meaning. We present ceramics, lacquer, metalwork, and hand-crafted objects that speak softly yet carry the depth of Japanese beauty expressed through restraint and simplicity.
For contemporary pieces, we collaborate directly with artists and workshops whose dedication to technique and material reflects the highest standards of Japanese craft. For antiques, we look beyond surface appearance to the traces of use, devotion, and history that form their true character.
As licensed art dealers based in Yokohama, we are committed to clarity, accuracy, and respect in every transaction. Each piece is photographed and described with care, shipped worldwide with secure packaging, and handled personally to ensure it reaches collectors with confidence.
To collect from us is to join in the quiet preservation of culture — one work at a time, carried from our hands to yours.
About the Works
Artist: Kotaro Ihara 伊原光太郎
Title of work: Aka Shino Chawan 赤志野茶碗
This work, “Aka Shino Tea Bowl,” is a highly evocative piece created by the renowned Japanese ceramic artist Kotaro Ihara. It employs the “Aka Shino” technique, one of the most admired styles within traditional Mino ware, characterized by a warm, iron-rich red glaze. The natural distortion and gentle contours born from hand-forming embody the spirit of wabi-sabi, making this a work that pursues the beauty of utility.
The glaze creates subtle variations in tone and sheen across the surface, conveying a delicate dialogue between flame and clay. On the interior, the glaze pools to produce a deep, expressive surface. The foot has been left unglazed, exposing fine wheel marks that clearly convey the traces of the artist’s hand. Beyond its practicality as a tea utensil, it is also a work of exceptionally high artistic quality from the perspective of contemporary ceramics.
Size:
Diameter: 11.7 cm
Height: 9 cm
Weight: 405 g
About the Artist
Kotaro Ihara was a ceramic artist based in Okayama Prefecture, known as the “genius of Okayama” for his highly individual approach to Shino and Karatsu-style tea bowls. Working mainly with Shino – especially Aka Shino – as well as iron-rich glazes and Karatsu-inspired surfaces, he focused on tea utensils such as matcha bowls, houhin teapots and yuzamashi water coolers, creating works that combine rustic clay textures with bold, expressive forms.
Ihara established his home and kiln near the Yoshii River embankment in the Saidaiji area on the eastern side of Okayama City, where he is said to have built a small kiln on his own property and devoted himself to both firing and research. Among local ceramic circles he has been remembered as “the late Kotaro Ihara, ceramic researcher,” suggesting that, in addition to producing his own work, he studied historical ceramics in depth and occasionally guided younger potters.
The hallmark of his style lies in an aesthetic that deliberately leaves distortions and roughness in the form, while taking full advantage of the expressive potential of Shino and related glazes. In his Aka Shino and iron-rich Shino tea bowls, as well as Karatsu-style pieces, the contrast between clay body, glaze tone and firing marks is strongly emphasized, resulting in works that foreground “wildness” and “tension” rather than conventional refinement. This uncompromising individuality underpins his reputation as a distinctive figure in the field of contemporary tea ceramics.
Appearance
Please see photos for details.
Shipping Information
Items are shipped from Japan via DHL or Japan Post.
A tracking number will be provided once the shipment has been dispatched.
Please note that we are unable to under-declare the value of an item or mark it as a gift for shipping purposes.
Obligations of the importer
Import duties, taxes and fees are not included in the bid price. These charges are the responsibility of the buyer. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be before bidding or purchasing.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Seller's Story
J ANTIQUE ART -YOKOHAMA-
Where Japan’s quiet traditions meet the sensitivity of contemporary craftsmanship.
We curate antiques and contemporary works that embody the essence of Japanese aesthetics — pieces shaped by time, intention, and the intimate dialogue between human hands and natural materials. Every work is selected for its authenticity, balance, and the quiet presence it holds.
Our focus is not quantity but meaning. We present ceramics, lacquer, metalwork, and hand-crafted objects that speak softly yet carry the depth of Japanese beauty expressed through restraint and simplicity.
For contemporary pieces, we collaborate directly with artists and workshops whose dedication to technique and material reflects the highest standards of Japanese craft. For antiques, we look beyond surface appearance to the traces of use, devotion, and history that form their true character.
As licensed art dealers based in Yokohama, we are committed to clarity, accuracy, and respect in every transaction. Each piece is photographed and described with care, shipped worldwide with secure packaging, and handled personally to ensure it reaches collectors with confidence.
To collect from us is to join in the quiet preservation of culture — one work at a time, carried from our hands to yours.
Details
Dynastic Style/Period
Shōwa period (1926-1989)
Artist
Kotaro Ihara 伊原光太郎
Height
9 cm
Width
11.7 cm
Title of artwork
Aka Shino Chawan 赤志野茶碗
Depth
11.7 cm
Condition
Excellent condition
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