YAMAFUSA 4th Generation KOIE 山房四代 鯉江 (aka SAMBO) – 常滑 – 27.7cm Oval Glazed Cucumber (楕円 胡瓜釉)

YAMAFUSA 4th Generation KOIE 山房四代 鯉江 (aka SAMBO) – 常滑 Tokoname 常滑市 – 27.7cm Oval Glazed Cucumber (楕円 胡瓜釉)

Product Details:

Region: Tokoname 常滑市

Kiln: KOIE Pottery 山房鯉江製陶所

Potter: 4th Generation YAMAFUSA KOIE 山房四代 鯉江 (aka SAMBO)

Handmade Japanese bonsai pot (日本盆栽鉢), expertly crafted by 4th Generation Yamafusa of the historic Koie kiln. This elegant oval (楕円鉢) bonsai pot is finished in a beautiful flowing Cucumber glaze (胡瓜釉), displaying subtle transitions from soft celadon-green (青磁) into rich cobalt blue (瑠璃青), creating remarkable depth and movement across the surface. The smooth satin finish enhances the natural colour variation while retaining a refined shibui (渋い) character.

The pot features a refined internal rim (内縁) with a gently rounded lip (口縁). The walls rise gracefully from the base before gently curving towards the rim, creating an elegant and harmonious silhouette (均整の取れた姿). The clean, uninterrupted profile allows the exceptional glaze to remain the focal point of the design.

The underside is equally well finished and incorporates integrated cut feet (一体型切足), providing excellent stability while maintaining a light and balanced appearance. There are five drainage holes (水抜き穴) and four wiring holes (針金穴), offering outstanding practicality for secure tree positioning and healthy root development.

The pot is hand signed (爪描き) with 山房 (Yamafusa) on the underside.

External dimensions: 27.7 × 22.4 × 6.5 cm

Internal dimensions: 24.6 × 19.4 × 4.8 cm

Condition: Excellent.

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Potter Biography

Mr. Yamafusa (山房) is the fourth generation of the historic Koie Ceramics Kiln (鯉江製陶所) in Tokoname, one of Japan's renowned Six Ancient Kilns (日本六古窯). Continuing a family tradition spanning well over one hundred years, he considers it his mission to preserve the history and craftsmanship established by previous generations while producing bonsai containers suited to contemporary bonsai.

Born into a family of ceramic artisans, Yamafusa learned pottery from an early age and later combined traditional Tokoname techniques with modern glazing methods. His work is recognised for its precision, elegant proportions and exceptional moulding quality, producing bonsai pots that are both highly functional and artistically refined.

His philosophy is to create containers that complement and enhance the "bonsai worldview" (盆栽の世界観), allowing the tree to remain the primary focus while achieving harmony between bonsai and container.

Collector's Notes

The Koie kiln (鯉江製陶所) has been producing ceramics for more than a century and remains one of Tokoname's respected family workshops. Fourth Generation Yamafusa is highly regarded for his mastery of moulding techniques, allowing him to produce bonsai pots with exceptional consistency, refined proportions and outstanding craftsmanship.

His glazed works are particularly admired by collectors for their elegant forms and sophisticated glaze combinations that beautifully complement deciduous, flowering and evergreen bonsai. This example is an excellent representation of his modern craftsmanship, combining a beautifully executed 胡瓜釉 (Cucumber glaze) with clean Tokoname design and the practical features expected of an exhibition-quality bonsai container.