Kyōyaki Matcha Bowl “Ninsei Shikishi Waka” 仁清色紙和歌 Kato Shōka

This elegant matcha bowl is made by Kato Shōka (加藤松香) , a contemporary master from Kyoto known for carrying on the Kyōyaki tradition, the refined ceramics that have adorned Kyoto's tea culture since the Edo period. The piece is titled仁清色紙和歌 (Ninsei Shikishi Waka) , which refers to the classical decoration with gilded poetry cards in the style of Nonomura Ninsei, the great pioneer of 17th-century Kiyomizu-yaki.

• Creator: Kato Shōka (加藤松香)
  
• Title: Ninsei Shikishi Waka (仁清色紙和歌)
  
• Type: Kyōyaki Matcha Bowl (抹茶茶碗)
  
• Material: Stoneware, hand-painted and gilded
  
• Diameter: ≈ 12 cm
  
• Height: ≈ 7.5 cm
  
• Interior: Craquelé glaze (kan-nyū)
  
• Condition: New;
  
• Accessories: Original tomobako, cloth (shifuku), and biography of the maker

The bowl has a deep black exterior, on which gilded shikishi (poetry cards) with waka verses are depicted, symbolizing the refined court culture of the Heian period. The cards are decorated with motifs of pine, bamboo, and plum blossom, the so-called shōchikubai (松竹梅) , an auspicious combination representing strength, flexibility, and renewal.

The interior features coloured concentric lines (go-sen ), a reference to the five elements (go dai) . With age, the glaze develops a subtle crackle structure, called kan-nyū (貫入) in Japanese, a natural phenomenon in fine Kyōyaki pottery that enhances the depth and character of the glaze.

The bowl bears the impressed mark “松香” (Shōka) in a circle on the foot. It comes in its original tomobako (友箱), a wooden box, on which the following is written in brush: Kyōyaki Matcha Bowl “Ninsei Shikishi Waka” made by Kato Shōka. The box also bears the maker’s round seal stamp, in which the characters松香 (Shōka) are engraved. The bowl comes with a green information sheet explaining the artist’s background.

Translation:

Mr. Kato Shōka is a researcher of the Kyōyaki and Seiyaki traditions. From a young age, he worked at the foot of the Higashiyama Hills in Kyoto, where he learned under his father, the potter Kato Seika. He immersed himself in painting and lacquerware, developing a style that combines traditional Kyoto elegance with a modern sense of refinement. His work, particularly in tea ceremony ceramics, has won awards at various exhibitions. He continues to strive for harmony between tradition and innovation in his ceramic work.

This bowl represents the fusion of literary refinement, technical perfection, and symbolic depth. The combination of the "waka" theme, the gold ornamentation, and the authentic signature makes it a valuable collector's item for enthusiasts of Japanese tea ceremonies and Kyōto ceramics.