– Katō Harusada, active Mino ceramicist specialising in Shino glazes – Nezumi-Shino (Mouse-Grey Shino) with characteristic ash-resist patterning – Tea ceremony scale: height 8.0 cm, diameter 13.0 cm Summary: This is a nezumi-shino tea bowl by Katō Harusada, a contemporary potter working in Mino (Gifu Prefecture), the historic centre of Shino ware production. Shino is among Japan's most revered ceramic traditions, defined by its thick feldspathic white glaze that often reveals warm orange clay beneath. Nezumi-shino—'mouse-grey Shino'—is a technical variant where iron-rich slip is applied before glazing, creating dark patterns against the characteristic milky surface. The bowl is in excellent condition and demonstrates accomplished control of the notoriously temperamental Shino firing process. The Mino region in central Japan has shaped Japanese tea ceramics for over four centuries. During the Momoyama period (1568–1600), when the tea ceremony reached its aesthetic zenith under masters like Sen no Rikyū, Mino kilns produced some of Japan's most celebrated wares: Shino, Oribe, Yellow Seto. These styles broke decisively with the refined Chinese ceramics favoured earlier, embracing asymmetry, spontaneity, and the beauty of apparent imperfection—concepts central to wabi-sabi philosophy. Shino ware, with its thick, soft glaze and subtle orange 'fire colour' where the clay shows through, became synonymous with this aesthetic shift. Nezumi-shino represents a sophisticated development within the Shino family. Potters coat portions of the unfired vessel with an iron-rich slip, then apply the white Shino glaze over everything. During firing, the iron slip resists the glaze, creating grey-black patterns with soft, organic edges where the two surfaces meet. The technique demands precise timing and intimate knowledge of how clay, slip, and glaze interact at high temperatures. Too little iron and the pattern disappears; too much and the glaze cannot develop its characteristic depth and translucency. Katō Harusada works within this demanding tradition, firing in reduction kilns that starve the atmosphere of oxygen, causing iron oxides in both clay and slip to shift towards warmer tones. The resulting tea bowl shows the hallmarks of accomplished Shino work: a substantial foot that sits comfortably in the palm, walls of even thickness that retain heat without burning the hand, and a glaze surface that invites close inspection. The nezumi-shino patterning here appears as abstract brushwork—dark shapes emerging from and receding into the milky ground, creating visual movement around the bowl's circumference. For collectors, this piece offers multiple points of interest. It represents a living connection to one of Japan's great ceramic traditions, made by a contemporary potter who has mastered historical techniques without merely copying museum examples. The tea bowl functions beautifully for its intended purpose—whether for formal tea ceremony or daily enjoyment of matcha—but equally rewards contemplation as a sculptural object. In a European context, Japanese tea bowls have found appreciation far beyond tea enthusiasts: their irregular forms, subtle glazes, and haptic appeal speak to broader interests in studio ceramics and artisan craft. Display might be as simple as a wooden stand (kurodana) or a discreet shelf, allowing the bowl's form and surface to be appreciated from multiple angles. The warm orange clay peeking through the glaze, the soft gradations in the nezumi-shino patterns, the finger-worn smoothness of the foot—these details reveal themselves slowly, rewarding repeated viewing. Shipping & Handling We ship worldwide via DHL or EMS with full insurance and tracking. Professional packing ensures safe arrival; combined shipping available for multiple wins. Local customs duties are the buyer's responsibility. Seller Guarantee We specialise in authentic Japanese ceramics and guarantee this piece's authenticity. Questions welcome – we reply within 24 hours. 1228