*SHIPPING OPTIONS VARY DEPENDING ON THE DESTINATION, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR MORE DETAILS.

This listing is for an Okinawan Yomitan Tsuboya-ware chawan made by Soma Masakazu from Toushin Gama.  It is wheel-thrown and decorated with a hand-painted fish motif using the complementary colour scheme of red and green.  The rim of the bowl has been trimmed with dark bluish-black glaze. The signature of the potter can be found on the bottom, and it comes with a yellow wrapping cloth for when the item is not in use.  It also comes with a Japanese language profile about the potter.  *PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CHASHAKU IS NOT INCLUDED.

Soma Masakazu (b.1949) was born in Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture and began apprenticing under Tsuboya-ware potter Takaesu Ikuo in 1972. In 1973 he travelled to Korea to study pottery techniques, and returned to Japan two years later.  He set up his own kiln in 1975 but moved to the Yomitan pottery area and opened another kiln in 1978.  He held several solo exhibitions after receiving some awards at various regional pottery competitions.  In 1991 he exhibited several pieces in the Modern Okinawa Ceramics Exhibition in the British Museum, and one of his pieces was purchased for the museum’s permanent collection.  In 1994 he visited Spain to learn about Majolica wares, and then he returned to Incheon in South Korea.  In 2001 he was certified as a traditional craftsman of Okinawa, and he also received the Excellence Award from the government.  He has since travelled to Vietnam and Thailand to learn South East Asian pottery techniques, and continues to participate in solo exhibitions on a regular basis.  **Fellow sellers, this information was researched by Kominka Zakka and CANNOT be used in your own listings.

Tsuboya-ware refers to pottery produced in the southern islands of Okinawa. Yomitan Village, located in the central region of mainland Okinawa, is known as the birthplace of Okinawan pottery because it is home to Kinjo Kiln. In fact pottery was being produced in Okinawa long before Kinjo came along, and goes as far back as the Ryukyu Dynasty. It was Kinjo’s depictions of carved fish and shrimp though that brought Tsuboya-ware into the spotlight, and in 1985 he was designated a Living National Treasure.

Size

H.7.4cm (2.9”) x Dia.13.1cm (5.1”)

Condition

It’s in very good condition with no chips or cracks, however the yellow wrapping cloth is a little spotty.

THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION                                                                 

**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia:  NO SHIPPING.  Very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to these countries.  We have no plan to register at this time because the process is in some cases very expensive and complicated, plus each country has its own set of regulations and application process. 

**USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway: Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-28 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Asia:  Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-21 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Central Asia, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico:  EMS Express 10-15 days.

**Russia:  No shipping methods available.