Description
This refined blue glazed bonsai pot is the work of renowned Tokoname artisan Ikko (Kazuhiro Watanabe). With its soft mokko form and luminous light blue glaze, it offers both visual elegance and functional design. The glaze has a gentle, almost porcelain-like depth, which harmonizes beautifully with seasonal color changes in bonsai foliage. In particular, the pot’s subtle hue creates a striking contrast with flowering bonsai, making blossoms appear even more vivid and refined. Thanks to its balanced proportions, rounded contours, and smooth finish, it works equally well in both formal and informal display settings, ensuring versatility.
Measurements:
- Outer (l x w x h): 23 × 20 × 7 cm
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Inner (l x w x h): 20 × 17 × 4.5 cm
Features:
- Artisan: Ikko (Kazuhiro Watanabe)
- Design: Elongated Mokko shape
- Size: Suitable for Shohin or slightly larger bonsai
- Origin: Crafted in Tokoname, Japan
- Glaze: Light-blue
About the Potter – Ikko (Kazuhiro Watanabe):
Born in 1956, Ikko is one of the most respected and active bonsai pot artisans in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture — Japan’s historic pottery center. Trained under his father, Shozan Watanabe, Ikko began producing his own bonsai pots in 1978 and established the Ikko Kiln in 1980. Over more than four decades, he has refined his approach to glaze and form, especially in the tatara-style (slab-built) technique.
Ikko uses 100% Chinese clay for unglazed pots and Japanese clay for glazed works, such as this one. His designs draw inspiration from classical Chinese ceramics, reinterpreted with precision and a deep understanding of bonsai aesthetics. His small pots are especially popular for their usability, elegance, and quality.
Ikko has received multiple awards, including those from the Japan Shohin Bonsai Association and the All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association. His pots are frequently used in top-tier bonsai exhibitions, including the prestigious Gafu-ten — a testament to the high esteem in which his work is held by professionals and collectors alike.
