Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase with a rounded faceted form and mottled beige, amber, and brown surface.

Front view of the Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase showing its rounded body and small opening.

Close-up of the Kokeishi Shigaraki flower vase showing glossy amber glaze and vertical firing marks near the base.

Close-up of the Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki vase showing its faceted surface and flowing beige and amber glaze.

Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase with a rounded faceted body and naturally varied beige and orange-brown tones.

Front view of the Kokeishi Shigaraki flower vase showing its rounded form and vertical beige and amber surface markings.

Angled view of the Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase showing its irregular faceted form and small opening.

Kokeishi Shigaraki flower vase viewed from the opposite side, showing its textured beige and earthy brown surface.

Side view of the Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase showing the small flower opening and rounded faceted body.

Side view of the Kokeishi Shigaraki flower vase showing horizontal beige and warm orange-brown firing patterns.

Top view of the Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase showing its small circular opening and faceted rim.

Tsuchinoko Kiln

Kokeishi Shigaraki Flower vase

Name: Kokeishi | Shigaraki Flower vase
Brand: Tsuchinoko Kiln
Author: Tsukushi Japan

A unique artisan craft — only this exact piece exists

$205.00

✔ Express Delivery
Delivery estimated between 14 September and 21 September.
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● Duties & taxes included

100% made in Japan, crafted with integrity and ethical labor practices.

Product Details

In the Box: 1 Handcrafted Flower Vase
Material: High-Fired Stoneware
Technique: Tebineri, anagama yakishime firing
Color Palette: Fired Umber, Ash Sand, Moss Ash, Pine Amber
Dimensions: Approx. Diameter 3.3" × Height 3.3" (85 × 85 mm)
Weight: Approx. 10.2 oz (290 g)
Origin: Tsuchinoko Kiln, Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Exclusivity Note: Kokeishi is shaped by hand and transformed by anagama firing. Irregularities in form, ash color, texture, and firing marks make this vase one of a kind.

Kokeishi is a handmade Shigaraki flower vase by artist Hitoshi Minagawa of Tsuchinoko Kiln. Shaped using the tebineri technique, it measures approx. 3.3" wide × 3.3" high (85 × 85 mm).

The vase is fired for about one week in a traditional anagama kiln above 1200°C. Pine flame and natural ash transform the clay, creating a distinct yakishime finish whose colors, textures, and markings cannot be repeated.

Its rounded, faceted form preserves the slight asymmetry of hand-building. Beige, brown, moss-green, and amber tones move across the textured surface, giving Kokeishi the quiet character of wabi-sabi.

Made as an indoor flower vase, it brings a compact sculptural presence to a room, with or without flowers. Clean gently with a soft cloth.

More Information

Shaped Without the Wheel
Kokeishi is shaped using tebineri (手捻り), the traditional Japanese hand-building technique that relies on the potter’s hands rather than a wheel.
Hitoshi Minagawa forms and refines the clay directly, creating the vase’s rounded, faceted body while preserving subtle irregularities in line and symmetry.
These traces of handwork give each piece its individual form before it enters the kiln.
Shigaraki Yakishime, Shaped by Fire
Kokeishi is fired for about one week in an anagama (穴窯) kiln above 1200°C. In the Shigaraki ware (信楽焼) tradition, pine flame and natural ash act directly on the clay to create an unglazed yakishime (焼締め) surface. Ash deposits, heat, and flame produce shifting brown, beige, moss-green, and amber tones, leaving a different keshiki (景色), or firing landscape, on every vase. No two firings can reproduce the same surface.
The Name Kokeishi [苔石]
Kokeishi (苔石) combines 苔, meaning “moss,” and 石, meaning “stone.” The name reflects the vase’s compact, stone-like form and the moss-toned ash effects created during firing.
Its irregular facets and weathered surface evoke a stone slowly transformed by nature, expressing the quiet character of wabi-sabi (侘び寂び).

Care Guide

About your Kokeishi Vase
Kokeishi is intended for everyday indoor use with flowers. Its handmade form and natural yakishime finish require only simple care.

Maintenance

Cleaning: Wipe gently with a clean, soft cloth. Avoid abrasive sponges, brushes, or harsh cleaning products.
After Use: Remove any remaining water and let the vase dry fully before storing or refilling.

The Artist

Hitoshi Minagawa

Location: Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Technique: Anagama firing / Yakishime
Tradition: Shigaraki ware

Born in Shigaraki in 1959, Hitoshi Minagawa studied ceramics at the Aichi Prefectural Vocational Training School of Ceramics and the Advanced Ceramics Course at Gifu Prefectural Tajimi Technical High School. In Tajimi, he trained under Osamu Suzuki, a ceramic artist designated as a Living National Treasure.

Minakawa san began making pottery in Shigaraki in 1988 and is now the ceramic artist leading Tsuchinoko Kiln. He creates traditional Shigaraki tea ware and tableware, firing each handmade piece in an anagama with pine wood. Over approximately one week, flame and natural ash form individual colors, textures, and firing marks on the clay.

He has held annual solo exhibitions in Akiruno, Tokyo, since 1990, as well as exhibitions in Ikebukuro, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Tokyo. His work continues the kiln tradition established by his father while defining Tsuchinoko Kiln today.

Learn more

Kokeishi handmade Shigaraki flower vase with a rounded faceted form, small opening, and mottled beige, amber, and brown natural surface.

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Kokeishi Vase FAQs

What is Kokeishi, and how is this Shigaraki flower vase made?

Kokeishi is a handmade Shigaraki flower vase created by Hitoshi Minagawa at Tsuchinoko Kiln.
The Stoneware clay is shaped by tebineri (手捻り), without a potter’s wheel, then fired for about one week in an anagama (穴窯) kiln to develop its natural yakishime (焼締め) surface.

Is Kokeishi a one-of-a-kind Shigaraki vase?

Yes. Kokeishi was conceived and made as a single, one-of-a-kind piece rather than as a design to be reproduced.
Its hand-built form and anagama firing created a unique combination of shape, ash deposits, colors, and yakishime markings that belongs only to this vase.

Is Kokeishi a good gift for someone who values unique objects?

Kokeishi suits someone drawn to Japanese craftsmanship, wabi-sabi, and objects with an individual character.
Because both its handmade form and fired surface are unique, it offers a more personal alternative to a uniformly manufactured flower vase.

Can Kokeishi be displayed without flowers?

Yes. Kokeishi is designed as an indoor flower vase, but its compact, faceted form also gives it a sculptural presence when displayed on its own.
Its natural ash colors and irregular silhouette remain visible from different angles.

How should I care for the Kokeishi vase?

Clean Kokeishi gently with a clean, soft cloth.
Avoid abrasive sponges, brushes, and harsh cleaning products that could rub against its naturally textured yakishime surface.

Is Kokeishi shipped from Japan with tracking and insurance?

Yes. Kokeishi is shipped directly from Japan, with tracking and insurance for international delivery. Each order is carefully packed in-house by Tsukushi Japan before shipment.