Hand-formed nerikomi (marbled clay) bowl by Ryota Matsumoto, Kasama-based ceramicist born 1984 Two-tone composition in dusty rose pink and natural cream, the layered clays drawn into clean concentric arcs on one side and a softer marbled passage on the other Quietly rounded half-sphere form, unglazed matte finish A small nerikomi bowl by contemporary Japanese ceramicist Ryota Matsumoto, working from Kasama in Ibaraki Prefecture. Born in 1984, Matsumoto belongs to a generation of Kasama makers using the freedom of a relatively young pottery centre to develop a personal voice within traditional methods. Where his more turbulent marbled pieces let the coloured clays swirl freely, this bowl shows the opposite end of his vocabulary: a quiet, controlled composition in just two tones, where the discipline of the layering becomes the entire subject of the work. The form is a softly rounded half-sphere with a gently undulating rim — slightly ovoid in plan, narrowing toward a small foot. There are no facets and no sharp edges; the profile is calm and self-contained, designed to recede so the surface can do the talking. Faint horizontal throwing lines are visible inside, recording the work of the wheel without being polished away. The surface is pure nerikomi — the Japanese technique of laminating coloured clays so that the pattern runs all the way through the wall of the vessel rather than sitting on top of it as decoration. Here Matsumoto has worked in just two tones: a soft, dusty rose pink with a slight lavender cast, and a natural cream-white. The two clays are stacked in fine, even layers and then formed into the bowl, and what makes the piece compelling is how differently the same lamination reads from different angles. On one side, the layers gather into a series of clean concentric arcs — pink and cream alternating in tight, parallel bands that ripple downward from the rim like the rings of a sliced log or the contour lines of a topographic map. On the opposite side, the same layers loosen and twist, the pink swelling into broad rounded passages while the cream lines bend around them in soft S-curves, reminiscent of marbled endpapers in an old book. Around the rim itself, the layers stack neatly in cross-section, giving a finely striped edge that frames the whole. The piece reads almost like two compositions sharing one form: discipline on one face, drift on the other. The finish is left essentially unglazed — a dry, matte surface that lets the colours of the clay speak directly. A high-gloss glaze would have flattened the pattern into a printed graphic; the bare clay finish keeps both tones slightly chalky, with the gentle texture of the laminated layers staying perceptible as both colour and material. Faint specks within the clay catch the light in raking conditions and reinforce the sense of geological structure. In the hand the small scale gives the piece a quiet intimacy — at roughly 8 cm wide and 5 cm tall, it sits comfortably in the palm. The dusty rose and cream palette is unusually soft for a contemporary studio bowl, sitting closer to the muted tones of pastel painting than to the earthier registers more common in Japanese ceramics. It pairs naturally with pale wood, linen, and other quietly toned objects, and works equally well as a small serving piece, a holder for salt or sweets, or simply a standalone object on a shelf. Kasama as a pottery centre lacks the centuries-deep pedigree of Bizen, Shigaraki, or Kyoto, and that relative youth has long made it a magnet for makers who want technical fluency without inherited orthodoxy. Matsumoto's work fits that lineage: traditional in method, personal in voice. Condition is excellent and consistent with a recent, carefully finished studio piece. The nerikomi pattern shows no delamination — the clean meeting of the two clay bodies attests to careful preparation and firing. The slightly irregular rim, the soft asymmetry of the form, and the visible throwing lines are intrinsic to the maker's working method rather than faults. Close review of the photographs is encouraged. A piece that quietly rewards turning in the hand — different on every face, and wholly itself. 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.