Fukutomi Takahiro Small Bowl - Sea Blue B / 「海碧」ボウル(小)

In Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture — one of Japan's oldest pottery towns — ceramic artist Fukutomi Takahiro (福富貴弘) creates work defined by restraint, precision and a quiet sense of drama. He first set his sights on ceramics as a junior high school student, after a single work-experience visit to a local potter's studio left a lasting impression. Encouraged by a local potter to see the wider world before committing to the craft, he went as far from home as he could — to Okinawa — completing both undergraduate and postgraduate studies there before returning to Kasama to found his own studio, dwarf pottery.

His signature technique, horikomi (掘り込み), grew out of his postgraduate research into the act of carving itself. Each piece is thrown on the wheel with deliberately thick walls, then carved freehand with a traditional kanna blade once dry. Where carving usually just tidies a shape, Fukutomi san turns it into the decoration itself: a rhythmic, wave-like relief that catches and moves with the light — subtle in a softly lit room, striking under direct light. Because every pattern is carved by hand, no two pieces are ever alike.

His glazes are just as considered — layered by hand and often fired several times to reach their finished depth. Warm antique gold flows and pools against deep matte blacks and soft turquoise blues, built from glazes he has developed and refined through years of testing.

Fukutomi san sees himself as an artist who works in clay, rather than a craftsman of a fixed regional style. He describes the feeling he is after as an unassuming brilliance — muted, antique-toned surfaces that carry an unexpected radiance. We're honoured to be the first to introduce his work outside Japan: this is the international debut of his pieces, exclusively with Osara.

Kaiheki — 海碧, "the blue-green of the sea" — is named for the turquoise glaze Fukutomi san calls Sea Blue. Pooled in the well of the bowl, it bleeds into the surrounding gold as it fires, a little like looking down into a rock pool. The small size, about 15 cm across, is lovely for salads, sides, fruit or a single serve of noodles; because each bowl is carved, glazed and fired by hand, sizes vary slightly from piece to piece.

Caring for your piece — Fukutomi san's work is glazed stoneware, which is naturally slightly porous, so we recommend seasoning it before its first use with food (see the seasoning instructions below). For pieces used often with soups or other liquids, repeat the seasoning every three months or so. Once seasoned, it can be used in the microwave with care. Hand washing is recommended, as the carved ridges can chip if knocked, and any fingerprints on the antique gold glaze wash off easily.

◾ Handcrafted in Japan

◾ What's included? - One (1) Small Bowl in a box

◾ Material: Stoneware

◾ Dimensions: Diameter 14.5–15.5 cm × Height 4 cm – each handmade piece varies slightly

◾ Care: Hand washing recommended

◾ Microwave-safe after seasoning

◾ Before First Use: Seasoning recommended

◾ Packaging: Presented in a box

Seasoning Instructions (Before First Use)

To prepare your stoneware for use with food, we recommend the following seasoning process:

1. Prepare: Place the piece in a large pot and fully submerge it in rice-rinsing water. Alternatively, use plain water mixed with 1–2 tablespoons of flour or potato starch per litre.

2. Simmer: Starting with cold water, gradually heat to a gentle simmer for 15–20 minutes. Avoid sudden temperature changes.

3. Cool: Turn off the heat and allow the piece to cool naturally in the water.

4. Dry: Rinse thoroughly and allow to air-dry completely, ideally for 24 hours, before use.