I have a fascination with square pots, don’t ask me why… I bought this pot five years ago and have not been able to match a tree for it yet! It has been sitting on a bookshelf for all these years.
AKIRA Shouzan,1st Generation, (Akira Watanabe) 常滑 31.0 square, unglazed.
Product Details: NOT FOR SALE (My private collection)
Region: Tokoname 常滑市
Kiln: Akira Shouzan
Potter: Akira Shouzan (Akira Watanabe 1st Generation)
This is a classic unglazed Tokoname bonsai pot crafted by Watanabe Akira (初代・渡辺昭), the founder of the Akira Shouzan kiln, and bears his hallmark square seal 「昭山製陶」 on the base.
Form: a clean square form with flared walls and subtle taper. The rim is slightly inward-sloping with a thickened lip, giving strength and balance, demonstrating the signature of mid-Showa Tokoname craft.
Feet: This pot features stepped feet, 踏み月, 踏み月slightly reseeded and angled outwards and banding on the base, a style often associated with formality and strength, giving it lift and visual presence without bulk.
Clay: Fired in Tokoname’s traditional kilns, the unglazed red clay (shudei) has a warm, even tone. The surface shows natural microtexturing from firing—typical of older Tokoname wares—and some softening from age and handling, suggesting a vintage production era.
Drainage: Four drainage holes are visible, consistent with functional bonsai ware intended for long-term use.
Estimated Date: Likely from the 1960s–1970s, during the height of Watanabe Akira’s production years. This era reflects a transition from highly decorative to more refined and sculptural unglazed forms.
Seal Marking: Underside features the impressed 四字印 “Shouzan Seitou” seal in Tensho script (昭山製陶), marking it definitively as a piece by the first-generation Shouzan master.
External dimensions: 31.0 x 31.0 x 11.0cm
Condition: there is a flat chip on the side of one foot, but it is hard to see; otherwise, excellent, like new.
Note: The above information was written by a Japanese acquaintance who is a Sensei in the Bonsai art.
