Tokoname black clay scratch teapot

This is a black clay scratch backhand teapot from Jinshu atelier. It features a small, round shape and vertical lines on the side. It is a small teapot with a capacity of 100ml, just right for brewing Chinese or Taiwanese tea.

Mr. Ito of Jinshu Touen is a Tokoname ware craftsman who has been making tea utensils for about 50 years. In addition to making tea utensils, he drinks Chinese and Taiwanese tea on a daily basis and has a deep knowledge of tea. Mr. Ito is a modern master teapot craftsman who is highly regarded not only in Japan but also in China and Taiwan.

(Biography of Ito Seiji)

Born in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture in 1949

Started making pottery in 1970

Traditional craftsman certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Tokoname ware, general category)

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award for contributions to the traditional craft industry

Purveyor to the Imperial Household Agency

10th Chosan Award at the Chosan Award Ceramics Exhibition

Excellent Award at the 34th Banko Ceramic Competition 2020

Silver Award at the 1st World Ceramic Art Awards in Yixing, China (teapot competition)

Judges' Recommendation Award at the 6th Taiwan International Golden Ceramic Art Exhibition (teapot competition)

Numerous other awards

A teapot made from Tokoname black clay. It has a soft black color and a subtle luster. The vertical lines are not perfectly straight, but rather change angle slightly, creating a rhythm throughout the teapot. It is technically very difficult to make a small-capacity teapot, and this size is rare in Japan.

The teapots made by Mr. Ito are tea utensils that are extremely easy to use. The water flows smoothly without spilling from spout. The contact surface between the lid and the body is carefully polished, so the lid fits snugly into the body. The angle of the handle and the overall weight balance are all designed in detail to make it easy to use.

The tea strainer inside the teapot is also made from the same clay from Tokoname. The mesh tea strainer is made by hand, which is a traditional technique of Tokoname ware. This is a wonderful teapot where precision craftsmanship and artistic design coexist. This teapot makes use of the texture of Tokoname clay. You can feel the nature and tradition of Japan.

<Teapot> Made in Aichi Prefecture

Potter: Jinshu atelier (Tokoname ware)

Firing: Electric furnace

Size: Total length approx. 10.5 cm (including handle and spout), body diameter approx. 6.5 cm, height approx. 7.5 cm

Capacity: 100 ml

Weight: 83 g

Packaging: Paper box

Notes: There is a thin line above the handle, but this is a natural phenomenon of the clay and is not a defect. The seal between the lid and the body is good.

*Tokoname ware

Tokoname ware is pottery made in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture. It was Japan's largest ceramic production area in the Middle Ages, and in addition to everyday items such as plates, bowls, and pots, many large pottery vessels such as jars and pots were made.

From the end of the Edo period (around 1858), red clay tea utensils and sake utensils were also made. From the mid-Showa period (1962), electric furnace technology for red clay was established. Tokoname teapots are fired at around 1100℃. Tokoname clay is a type of clay that is more compatible with electric furnaces, which have slightly lower temperatures than with wood-fired kilns, which reach high temperatures of 1200-1300℃.

The Tokoname region, which was at the bottom of a lake called Lake Tokai millions of years ago, is home to fine-grained clay such as red clay and black clay that are perfect for teapots. Tokoname is home to an accumulation of the techniques necessary for making teapots, including advanced molding techniques and a technique known as "rubbing" to fit the lid and body of the teapot together without any gaps. It is the largest teapot production area in Japan.