NAKANO GYOZAN 中野 行山 "Seal Only 印のみ" - 常滑 - 45.1cm Square 正方形 – Unglazed 無釉

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Product Details / 鉢の詳細

Region / 産地: Tokoname 常滑市, Aichi Prefecture 愛知県
Kiln / 窯元: Gyozan Kiln 行山窯
Potter / 作家: 1st Generation Gyozan, Nakano Yukizyou 初代行山・中野行常
Shape / 形状: Square 正方形鉢
Finish / 仕上げ: Unglazed 無釉
Marking / 陶印: Seal Only 印のみ – Impressed Gyozan seal 行山印

Description / 説明:

A substantial large-format First Generation Gyozan（初代行山） bonsai pot, produced in Tokoname by master potter Nakano Yukizyou 中野行常.

At 45.1cm square and 16cm deep, this is a particularly powerful and beautifully restrained container. The form is a classical square pot（正方形鉢）, with gently rounded corners and walls that open subtly outward toward the upper edge, giving the considerable depth of the pot a sense of balance rather than heaviness.

The upper profile is finished with a strong, broad projecting rim（外縁）. Its softly rounded outer edge creates a clearly defined horizontal line around the entire pot, contrasting elegantly with the otherwise undecorated body. The simplicity is very characteristic of the Japanese idea of 用の美 – beauty through function.

The four corners are particularly well resolved. A restrained vertical definition follows each corner from beneath the rim towards the base, while the gentle rounding prevents the large square form from becoming overly severe.

The pot stands upon four substantial corner feet（四足）. Their broad, low proportions continue the geometry of the body and provide the visual stability required for a container of this scale.

The unglazed clay has an understated olive-grey to grey-brown tone, with a fine natural surface texture and subtle tonal variation. Rather than relying on ornamentation, the character comes from the clay itself — 土味（tsuchi-aji） — together with the quiet surface 景色 that develops through firing, handling and cultivation. The restrained colour and powerful proportions give the pot a particularly 渋い（shibui） character.

Internally, the pot has a generous planting volume appropriate to substantial bonsai. The base incorporates one principal central drainage hole（排水穴） together with eight smaller peripheral holes, providing additional drainage and practical anchoring points for wiring（針金穴）.

The underside carries the impressed Gyozan maker's seal（行山印）. This example is Seal Only（印のみ）, without an additional hand-incised 爪描き inscription.

External Dimensions / 外寸: 45.1 × 45.1 × 16.0cm

Internal Dimensions / 内寸: 39.4 × 39.4 × 13.0cm

Condition / 状態: Excellent.

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About the Potter / 作家について

Nakano Gyozan 中野行山 became one of the important names associated with post-war Tokoname bonsai-pot production. The Gyozan Kiln（行山窯） was established in Tokoname in 1972, and First Generation Gyozan became particularly respected for large, beautifully proportioned unglazed containers.

His work is characterised by careful proportion, restrained detailing and a strong understanding of the relationship between tree and container. Rather than excessive decoration, his finest classical forms depend upon 土味・調和・均衡・用の美 — the character of the clay, harmony, balance and functional beauty.

First Generation Gyozan passed away in February 2026, leaving a substantial legacy within modern Tokoname bonsai ceramics.

Collector's Note / コレクターズノート

At 45.1 × 45.1 × 16.0cm, the considerable scale and depth make this an impressive example of Gyozan's ability to give a large container both 力強さ（strength） and 品格（dignity）.

The combination of the broad 外縁, gently opening walls, substantial corner feet and restrained olive-grey unglazed clay creates an exceptionally calm architectural form. There is very little unnecessary decoration; the strength comes instead from proportion, clay and construction.

As a Seal Only（印のみ） First Generation example, the impressed 行山印 forms an important part of the pot's identity, while the large square format demonstrates the practical, understated aesthetic for which Gyozan's substantial bonsai containers are particularly well known.