Seto Oribe kogo by Kato Shuntai. A fundo kogo form in Seto ceramic craft — this incense container carries the weight of Japanese tea ware tradition. Seto pottery shaped as a balance weight, finished in Oribe glaze green. A tea room accent where ceramic kogo box meets tea ceremony tool. Japanese incense held in stoneware stillness.
🔹 [ BASIC DETAILS ] • Artist: Kato Shuntai (加藤春岱) • Dimensions: H 4.5 cm × W 6.0 cm × D 5.2 cm • Weight: Approx. 94 g • Condition: Good vintage condition with minor age-related wear • Includes: Period box (時代箱) • SKU: 260227_a_2110
🔹 [ CULTURAL INSIGHT ] The fundō — a counterweight used in traditional Japanese scales — became a beloved form for incense containers in chanoyu. Its compact, symmetrical shape fits naturally in the palm. When Oribe glaze is applied to the Seto stoneware body, the meeting of vivid green and earthen clay creates the tension that defines Oribe aesthetics: controlled asymmetry, bold color against restraint.
Kato Shuntai belongs to the Kato lineage of Seto — a ceramic family whose roots reach into the foundations of Japanese pottery. Seto, one of the Six Ancient Kilns, has produced tea wares for centuries. The 春岱 name carries the weight of that continuity.
🔹 [ DEEP-DIVE: ORIBE & THE FUNDO FORM ] Oribe ware emerged in the Momoyama period under the influence of Furuta Oribe, a tea master who embraced boldness where others sought uniformity. The partial application of copper-green glaze — leaving portions unglazed — is not decoration. It is a philosophy: showing the clay beneath, honoring the material.
The fundō shape in kōgō is a reference to commerce and balance — a quiet metaphor in the tea room, where all things seek equilibrium. This piece carries that cultural memory in miniature.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
