Kato Shuntai (加藤春岱), Japanese, (1802–1877)

A Kiseto Chawan Tea Bowl (黄瀬戸茶碗)

Edo Era (1603–1868)

About the work

This Kiseto chawan by Kato Shundai reflects the gentle warmth and understated refinement characteristic of Seto yellow glaze tea wares. The bowl is softly rounded with even, rising walls and a stable foot, giving it a calm, well balanced presence ideally suited to tea practice. Its proportions feel natural and composed, inviting both visual appreciation and tactile engagement.

The surface is coated in a luminous Kiseto glaze, ranging from mellow yellow to deeper amber tones. Subtle variations in glaze thickness, faint iron spotting, and flowing streaks record the movement of the glaze during firing, creating depth and quiet visual interest. The interior is smoothly finished, enhancing comfort in use, while the trimmed foot reveals the clay body beneath.

The wooden storage box bears an inscription by Hisada Eiho (久田栄甫), a respected tea master of the Owari Hisada School (尾州久田流). Such an inscription signifies formal recognition within the tea tradition, attesting to the bowl’s suitability for chanoyu and elevating its cultural and ceremonial value.

Dimensions

7.8cm(h) x 12cm(w) x 10.8cm(d)

Footnote

Kato Shuntai was born in Akatsu, Seto, in 1802. At the age of 15, he began his career at the esteemed Ofuke kiln, producing ceramics for the Owari Tokugawa family. He has also worked independently in Akatsu, Imao and Nagoya. Works from this period are now valued for their artistic quality and historical importance. Shuntai returned as an official potter for the Owari domain in 1866 and continued until the official kiln’s closure in the early Meiji era. He passed away in 1877, leaving an enduring legacy of Seto pottery bridging classical tradition and individual expression.