Living National Treasure, Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property for "White Porcelain", Arita Inoue Manji Kiln, Manji Inoue, White Porcelain Water Dropper, Whiskey Dropper #384

Manji Inoue (1929–2025) was a ceramic artist from Arita Town, Saga Prefecture, who was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property for "White Porcelain" (Living National Treasure) in 1995. In Arita ware, where ornate decoration with underglaze cobalt (sometsuke) and overglaze enamels (iro-e) is mainstream, he dedicated his life to pursuing the sculptural beauty of white porcelain formed on the potter's wheel, guided by his conviction that "the true merit of ceramics lies in their form." After training at the Kakiemon Kiln, he studied under Chuemon Okugawa, renowned as a master of the potter's wheel, around 1952, learning the techniques of white porcelain and wheel throwing. From 1958, as a technical official at the Saga Prefectural Arita Ceramic Research Center, he conducted in-depth research on porcelain forming and glazes, and in 1971, he established the Inoue Manji Kiln.

In 1979, he was commended by the Minister of Labour as an Outstanding Skilled Artisan (Contemporary Master Craftsman). At the 34th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition in 1987, he won the Minister of Education Award for "Seihakuji Carved Pattern Bowl," and in the same year, the award-winning work was purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. In 1990, he was designated a Saga Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property, and in 1995, he was designated a Holder of the National Important Intangible Cultural Property for "White Porcelain." He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1997, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 2003, and became an Honorary Citizen of Arita Town in 2005. His works are held in the collections of Tokyo National Museum, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (National Crafts Museum), Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, The Kyushu Ceramic Museum, Saga Prefecture, and Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art, among others. In addition, in 1969, by order of the Governor of Saga Prefecture, he went to Pennsylvania State University in the United States as a visiting professor, and later taught pottery at New Mexico State University, dedicating great effort to fostering future generations both in Japan and overseas. He passed away on July 14, 2025, at the age of 96.

The greatest defining characteristic of his white porcelain lies in expressing beauty solely through the form pulled up on the potter's wheel, without applying any surface painting. He stated, "Precisely because white porcelain lacks color, its form must be crafted beautifully," adopting "Meito Muzatsu" (a fine ceramic has no extraneous thoughts) as his guiding motto. In white porcelain, which cannot rely on decorative ornamentation, the slightest distortion or unevenness in thickness immediately reveals itself as a defect. For this reason, he was renowned for his uncompromising, rigorous approach to making, refusing to tolerate even a millimeter of distortion. His representative works include round white porcelain jars, white porcelain swirling-pattern jars, and crane-neck vases. In addition, he created carved-pattern works where motifs were carved into the white porcelain surface and touched with green glaze, as well as bluish-white porcelain (seihakuji) works where glaze pooled in carved recesses to take on a soft blue hue.

This work is a plain white porcelain water dropper that uses no carving or colored glaze whatsoever. The plump, rounded body swells in an unbroken, continuous curve from shoulder to base. The slender, short mouth rises seamlessly from the top of the body without any steps. A cylindrical spout is attached to one side of the shoulder, creating a contrast within this small vessel between the volume of the body and the delicacy of the mouth and spout. The glaze is applied lustrously and evenly, and reflected light flows smoothly along the curved planes of the body. This clearly attests to its dignified forming with minimal surface distortion. The foot ring is trimmed low and neatly, and a mark written in gosu (underglaze cobalt blue) is inscribed inside the foot ring. The rounded, taut body shares the same sculpted form as his representative round jars. The very essence of his white porcelain—establishing a piece through pure form alone while discarding decoration—is vividly expressed within this small vessel. The top of the tomobako lid is inscribed "White Porcelain Water Dropper," and the underside of the lid bears the signature "Manji Inoue Saku" along with a red seal stamp.

The accompanying shiori lists his ceramic career up to Heisei 3 (1991), and his title remains at "Designated Saga Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property." There is no mention of his 1995 Living National Treasure designation. From this, this work is considered to have been produced between 1991 and around 1995. It is a work from the period when his consummate wheel-throwing technique had reached full maturity, just prior to his designation as a Holder of the National Important Intangible Cultural Property.

A water dropper (suiteki) was originally a calligraphic tool used to drip water onto an inkstone. Our shop proposes it as a water dropper for adding minute drops of water to vintage whisky and spirits. It is widely known that adding a few drops of water to whisky transforms its aroma and flavor profile, and the structure of a water dropper, which allows water to be adjusted drop by drop, is exceptionally well suited for this purpose. To use it, water is poured through the opening at the top of the body, and the vessel is tilted while covering that opening with a fingertip. By gently lifting and pressing the finger to regulate airflow, the amount of water falling from the spout can be precisely controlled.

With his passing in 2025, no new works will ever be created. This is an exceptional piece that allows you to keep close at hand the sculpted beauty of white porcelain pursued across a lifetime by a Living National Treasure, savoring it in daily life as a vessel for perfecting each drop of vintage spirits.

• Artist: Manji Inoue (井上 萬二, 1929–2025)
• Major Career Highlights: [1929] Born in Arita Town, Saga Prefecture; [1945] Began apprenticeship at Kakiemon Kiln; [c. 1952] Studied under Chuemon Okugawa to learn white porcelain and wheel techniques; [1958] Became a technical official at Saga Prefectural Arita Ceramic Research Center; [1968] Selected for the first time for the 15th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition; [1969] Taught ceramic art at Pennsylvania State University (visited the US 4 times by 1976); [1971] Established Inoue Manji Kiln; [1977] Received the Minister of International Trade and Industry Award at the National Traditional Craft Exhibition; [1979] Commended by the Minister of Labour as an Outstanding Skilled Artisan (Contemporary Master Craftsman); [1983] Began ceramic art instruction at New Mexico State University (visited the US 20 times thereafter); [1987] Received the Minister of Education Award at the 34th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition (Seihakuji Carved Pattern Bowl); [1995] Designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property for "White Porcelain" (Living National Treasure); [1997] Awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon; [2002] Received the Nishi-Nippon Cultural Award; [2003] Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon; [2005] Became an Honorary Citizen of Arita Town; [2025] Passed away on July 14 (aged 96)
• Museum Collections: Tokyo National Museum, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (National Crafts Museum), Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, The Kyushu Ceramic Museum, Saga Prefecture, Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art, and others
• Period of Production: c. 1991 to c. 1995 (estimated)
• Item Condition: No noticeable chips or cracks. There are several minute spots on the glaze surface and foot ring (refer to images)
• Accessories: Dedicated tomobako (original wooden box: lid top inscribed "White Porcelain Water Dropper," lid underside inscribed with "Manji Inoue Saku" signature and red seal stamp), shiori (leaflet)
• Material: Porcelain (Arita ware, white porcelain)
• Dimensions: Height approx. 8.0 cm, Width (including spout) approx. 8.0 cm, Body diameter approx. 6.8 cm, Mouth diameter approx. 1.0 cm, Foot ring diameter approx. 3.7 cm
• Note: All items offered by our shop, even if new and unused, were produced a very long time ago, and all are therefore listed as pre-owned. Items may show age-related wear or damage. Please understand and confirm this before considering a purchase.