This piece is a "Turkish Blue Sake Cup" made by Kenji Kato, a ceramic artist who crafted works at the Shinsho Kiln in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. Formed as a stem cup (bajohai) featuring a tall foot, the lid of its dedicated tomobako (wooden box) bears the handwritten title "Turkish Blue Sake Cup," along with the artist's signature and seal stamp. It is also accompanied by a shiori (leaflet) printed with the artist's own ceramic career history and a wrapping cloth stamped with a seal. Taking advantage of its compact size that fits comfortably in the palm, our shop proposes it as a Japanese-style shot glass for savoring aged spirits neat, a little at a time.
Kenji Kato was born on July 21, 1933 (Showa 8), in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, a region renowned for Mino ware production. He graduated from Kyoto City University of Fine Arts (now Kyoto City University of Arts) majoring in ceramics within the Department of Crafts, and studied under Kenkichi Tomimoto, Yuzo Kondo, and Yoshimichi Fujimoto. All three masters were later designated Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasures). According to the shiori, in 1959 he established the "Shinsho Kiln," named by Kenkichi Tomimoto, and was selected for the first time for the 6th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition with a "Bowl." According to records of the Japan Kogei Association, a public interest incorporated association, he passed away in 2008.
Kato became active internationally from an early stage. In 1968, he served as a lecturer in the Department of Art at Ohio State University in the United States, and in 1969 he held a solo exhibition at the Helen Winnemore Gallery in the US. From 1971 to 1973, dispatched by the Japanese government, he served as a visiting professor at the Turkish National Istanbul Higher School of Fine Arts and Crafts (now Marmara University). From 1976 to 1981, as a ceramic art envoy dispatched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Foundation, he visited Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and other countries several times. In 1981, he appeared on the NHK Educational TV column "Japanese Ceramics Going International," and in 1984, he was invited to exhibit at the U.S. Northwest Regional Touring Ceramic Art Exhibition.
His connection with Turkey continued thereafter. In 1986, he received the Osman Hamdi Art Award from Turkey. He presented a "Turkish Blue Vase" to His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa and held two solo exhibitions at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Japan. Domestically, he received the 5th Kobei Prize in 1987 and the Education and Culture Award at the 38th Gifu Shimbun Grand Prize in 1988. According to records of Gifu Prefecture, in fiscal 1995 (Heisei 7), he received the Gifu Prefecture Arts and Culture Honor for "creative activities and promotion/advancement of ceramic art."
In addition, he won awards such as the Japan Kogei Association Award at the Tokai Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition, served as an invited exhibitor, and acted as a judge. He also successively served as an expert committee member for the International Ceramics Competition MINO, an executive committee member and judge for art exhibitions of Tajimi, Gifu City, and Gifu Prefecture, and a director of the Mino Ceramic Art Association. He was a regular member of the Japan Kogei Association, a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC), and served as a lecturer in the Department of Craft Art within the Faculty of Education at Gifu University. His works are held in the collections of Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art, Gifu Prefectural Museum, University of Michigan, Swiss National Museum, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Seattle Art Museum, Canterbury Museum, Everson Museum of Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, Embassy of Japan in Denmark, among others.
Tracing the exhibition records of the Japan Kogei Association, Kato presented nukie tenmoku (tenmoku with resist decoration) from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, and red overglaze enamel (akae) works from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. From 1984 onward, he exhibited blue-glazed flattened flasks, and at the 33rd Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition in 1986, he exhibited "Turkish Blue Flattened Flask." Thereafter, until the 48th exhibition in 2001, he continuously submitted Turkish blue vases and incense burners. Turkish blue became Kato's most widely recognized signature style, and this piece is precisely one created using that technique.
Vivid Turkish blue glaze covers the inside and outside of the vessel, with fine crackle (kannyu) running across the entire surface. The interior bowl (mikomi) is a deep single shade of blue, and when viewed up close, minute air bubbles can be seen within the glaze, creating a tone with depth depending on the light.
On the exterior, large arching leaf-like and petal-shaped patterns are arranged as if encircling the body. The patterned areas sink into a dark navy-gray tone, with purplish-blue bleeding along their outlines. Overlapping with the background Turkish blue glaze, this adds gradation and three-dimensional depth to the single-color glaze. A line circles horizontally below the rim, while the rim itself is thinly glazed, allowing the dark underlying clay tone to peek through and displaying a white, flowing glaze character.
The slender stem features alternating vertical stripes of Turkish blue and dark color. This contrasts with the curvilinear pattern of the bowl portion and accentuates the verticality of the vessel shape. The bottom and interior of the stem are unglazed, leaving the reddish-brown clay body exposed. The contrast between the cool tone of the Turkish blue and the warm red clay is also one of the highlights of this piece. A minute dot-like mark can be seen on one spot of the body.
The production period is estimated from the content of the accompanying shiori. The most recent dated entry in the shiori's career history is the Education and Culture Award at the 38th Gifu Shimbun Grand Prize in 1988. On the other hand, the Gifu Prefecture Arts and Culture Honor received in fiscal 1995 (Heisei 7) is not listed. The postal code is also printed in the three-digit format used prior to 1998. Based on these points, this cup is considered to have been made between around 1988 and around 1995. This aligns with the period when he was submitting Turkish blue works to the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition, though since the shiori may have continued to be used for a certain period, this remains an estimate.
The piece has no chips or cracks and remains in very good condition. Although an artist who is hardly introduced abroad, this piece allows one to experience the charm of Turkish blue—which Kato pursued for many years alongside his educational activities and awards in Turkey—in a size that rests comfortably in the palm of your hand.
- Artist: Kenji Kato (Katō Kenji, 1933–2008)
- Major Career Highlights: [1959] Established Shinsho Kiln named by Kenkichi Tomimoto; first selected for the 6th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition with "Bowl"; [1968] Lecturer in the Department of Art at Ohio State University; [1969] Solo exhibition at Helen Winnemore Gallery, USA; [1971–1973] Dispatched by the Japanese government as a visiting professor at the Turkish National Istanbul Higher School of Fine Arts and Crafts (now Marmara University); [1976–1981] Ceramic art envoy dispatched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Japan Foundation (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Norway, etc.); [1981] Appeared on NHK Educational TV column "Japanese Ceramics Going International"; [1984] Invited exhibitor at U.S. Northwest Regional Touring Ceramic Art Exhibition; [1986] Osman Hamdi Art Award (Turkey); [1986] Selected for 33rd Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition with "Turkish Blue Flattened Flask"; [1987] 5th Kobei Prize; [1988] Education and Culture Award at 38th Gifu Shimbun Grand Prize; [1995] Gifu Prefecture Arts and Culture Honor (fiscal 1995); [2001] Selected for 48th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition with "Turkish Blue Vase"
- Museum Collections: Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art, Gifu Prefectural Museum, University of Michigan, Swiss National Museum, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Seattle Art Museum, Canterbury Museum, Everson Museum of Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, Embassy of Japan in Denmark, etc.
- Period of Production: c. 1988 to c. 1995 (estimated from the content of the accompanying shiori)
- Item Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Dedicated tomobako (original wooden box), wrapping cloth, shiori (leaflet) included
- Material: Pottery / Stoneware (Turkish blue glaze)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 7.0 cm, Mouth diameter approx. 5.7 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.
