AIBA KOYO – Mr. AIBA Kouichirou（相場 恒一郎）– 常滑市 Tokoname – 46.3cm Oval Cream Glazed (Cream Glaze 乳白釉・楕円鉢)

AIBA KOYO – Mr. AIBA Kouichirou（相場 恒一郎）– 常滑市 Tokoname – 46.3cm Oval Cream Glazed (Cream Glaze 乳白釉・楕円鉢)

Product Details:

Region: Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture 常滑市
Kiln: KOYO Kiln 鴻陽窯
Potter: AIBA Kouichirou 相場 恒一郎 (1944–2015)

A superb vintage artisan-made Japanese bonsai pot by the highly respected Tokoname potter AIBA Kouichirou, working under the kiln name KOYO (鴻陽). This elegant Oval (楕円鉢) bonsai pot is finished in a beautiful Cream Glaze (乳白釉), displaying soft ivory tones with subtle olive and ash-coloured shading around the lower body. The gentle variation in the glaze creates an understated yet highly refined keshiki (景色), allowing the pot to harmonise effortlessly with both deciduous and evergreen bonsai.

The pot features a generous rounded fuchi (縁) that flows into a refined internal rim (内縁), while the walls descend almost vertically before gently drawing inward towards the base, creating a well-balanced silhouette with excellent hinkaku (品格). The simplicity of the form reflects the Japanese concept of yo no bi (用の美)—the beauty found through perfect functionality.

The finely applied cream glaze has matured beautifully over the years, and together with the exposed clay around the lower body has developed an exceptional natural keinen henka (経年変化) and rich fuai (風合い). This attractive patina gives the pot warmth, depth and character that only decades of careful use and ageing can produce, making it especially desirable to collectors.

The underside is supported by finely executed recessed feet (落とし足), carefully proportioned and subtly inset beneath the body to provide stability while maintaining an elegant low profile. The base bears the crisp impressed square KOYO (鴻陽) kiln seal and incorporates two drainage holes (排水穴) together with four wiring holes (針金穴), demonstrating the practical excellence expected of a quality Tokoname bonsai container.

The restrained proportions, beautiful glaze and mature character create a refined sense of shibui (渋い) elegance, making this an outstanding exhibition-quality bonsai pot suitable for a wide range of species, particularly Japanese maple, hornbeam, beech, flowering bonsai and elegant evergreen compositions.

External dimensions: 46.3 × 32.0 × 6.0 cm

Internal dimensions: 42.2 × 28.2 × 4.5 cm

Condition: Excellent!

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About the Potter – KOYO, Mr. AIBA Kouichirou（相場 恒一郎）

Mr. AIBA Kouichirou (相場 恒一郎, 1944–2015) was a respected Tokoname potter working under the kiln name KOYO (鴻陽) in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture (愛知県常滑市), one of Japan's celebrated Six Ancient Kilns (日本六古窯). Throughout his career, he established a reputation for producing elegant bonsai ceramics that combined traditional Tokoname craftsmanship with practical functionality and refined artistic balance.

His work is recognised for its harmonious proportions (kinsei 均整), quiet elegance (shibui 渋い), and beautifully controlled glaze development (yucho 釉調). Rather than relying on elaborate decoration, Aiba allowed the purity of form, carefully selected clay and subtle glaze effects to define each piece. His production included oval (楕円鉢), mokko (木瓜鉢) and rectangular (長方鉢) bonsai pots, many finished in natural ash-inspired, cream and blue-green glazes that continue to mature beautifully through keinen henka (経年変化).

Every KOYO bonsai pot was designed with both aesthetics and cultivation in mind, incorporating well-positioned haisui-ana (排水穴), harigane-ana (針金穴) and finely finished feet. His impressed KOYO (鴻陽) seal has become one of the recognisable hallmarks of quality modern Tokoname bonsai ceramics.

Although firmly rooted in the traditions of Tokoname-yaki (常滑焼), Aiba's work possesses its own quiet individuality, reflecting the Japanese appreciation of yo no bi (用の美) and creating containers that complement bonsai rather than compete with them.

Collector's Notes

Collectors continue to value KOYO bonsai pots for their refined craftsmanship, dependable horticultural design and timeless aesthetic. Their understated forms embody the Japanese ideals of wabi (侘び) and shibui (渋い), allowing the bonsai itself to remain the focal point while providing a harmonious visual foundation.

This example is particularly desirable, displaying a beautifully matured Cream Glaze (乳白釉), finely proportioned recessed feet (落とし足), a rich natural keinen henka (経年変化) and fuai (風合い) developed through decades of age, together with the crisp impressed KOYO (鴻陽) kiln seal. These characteristics, combined with its generous planting area and elegant low profile, make this an excellent collector's piece by the late AIBA Kouichirou, whose work continues to be highly regarded by enthusiasts of fine Tokoname-yaki (常滑焼) bonsai ceramics.