Reeds and Birds Kobachi Small Bowl

This footed kobachi small bowl is painted in the classic blue-and-white of sometsuke, featuring a design of crossed reeds on the outside and birds flying home at sunset on the inside. The soft hues of the natural glaze and blue underglaze evoke a simple, rustic beauty. Its size makes it perfect for side dishes, desserts, puddings, and more.

Made from 100% pottery stone from Izumiyama Quarry—discovered over 400 years ago and instrumental in laying the foundation for Japan’s early porcelain craftsmanship—this piece is deeply rooted in tradition. This bowl was fired in a noborigama, or climbing kiln, to achieve its high degree of luster and transparency. Its design is based on an archaeologically excavated, 400-year-old pottery fragment that is hypothesized to have been used in a Shinto ritual.

Featuring subtle ridges from being hand-shaped on the pottery wheel, small variations in its hand-painted motifs, and tiny dots of ash from the kiln, each piece is subtly individual with a special, handmade feel.

Le Sanpei Kiln

In the early seventeenth century, Korean craftsman Yi Sam-pyeong, known as Le Sanpei (also spelled Ri Sanpei) in Japanese, discovered pottery stone in Izumiyama, Arita. This led to the creation of the oldest porcelain in Japan, known today as Arita ware. He also founded Le Sanpei Kiln, which operated for four generations before closing, though his name and legacy endured.

In 1920, Le’s thirteenth-generation descendant revived the kiln, which has been in operation ever since. Now led by the fourteenth generation kiln master, Le Sanpei’s exceptional porcelain craftsmanship lives on today.

Crafted in the historic town of Arita, located in Saga Prefecture, Arita ware stands as the most venerable porcelain production hub in the annals of Japanese history. Characterized by its ethereal translucent white surface adorned with vibrant paintings, it has profoundly influenced the porcelain craft across Europe.

Within Japan, Arita ware is held in high esteem as a prestigious brand, with the town of Arita acknowledged as a quintessential production area.